"This?!" The criminal Mages shot up, surprise spiraling across their faces.
They heard rumors of Spirit Master Chen's generosity before, but actually being able to experience firsthand felt like a sign sent from the Light Gods.
Even just getting a fair trial with the help of Spirit Master Chen would immensely help their chances!
"Thank you, Spirit Master Chen!!"
An echo of greatly eager voices echoed throughout the woods. The criminal Mages trembled with genuine joy.
The patrol team and young maiden Chen could only look on with a complicated expression. Their thoughts were mixed, thinking what they would do if they were in Spirit Master Chen's position.
Spirit Master Chen's calm smile never left his face. He briefly took his eyes off the Mages to scan around for that invisible force again.
But he was doomed to be disappointed.
Ervin had already made his escape long ago. During their talks, Ervin did not want to wait around to see the means of a Spirit Mage. He made a mad dash straight back towards the city with the use of his Physical Mage Arts.
The Demon Orb barely provided any support when Ervin wasn't in a state of wanting to kill. It just slightly amplified his physical strength in this aspect.
Still, his speed was enough to make it far away from Spirit Master Chen's in only a matter of seconds.
Naturally, nobody would be able to notice when an invisible person left the stage.
However, the young maiden Chen suddenly jumped. She frantically searched around the field until clenching her palms in frustration. "Damn it! Grandfather! We at least can't let that invisible person getaway. He genuinely wants to kill another human. If I didn't show up, he would've committed a horrific massacre on everyone here."
Chills swept up through the Mages and even young maiden Chen's spines from her own words.
There were many legendary tales of powerful Mages. But none quite match a tale of a Mage having the ability to have invisibility to such a level that nobody can hear them, see them in any capacity, or detect them with their Magical Senses.
Even for someone as calm and rational as Spirit Master Chen, he took the matter of finding Ervin considerably seriously.
But it was simply impossible to discover Ervin unless he chose to reveal himself.
Spirit Master Chen could only sigh with a shake of his head. "This a more complex matter we need to investigate later. For now, let's head to the city and resolve this case."
"I...fine. But whoever that person is will not escape from us again." Young maiden Chen determinedly spoke.
Without any more words, the ground began their trek to Lightwall City.
...
A few days quickly passed.
With the warmth of the early afternoon, Ervin was awakening out of his magical trance.
For a rare time, the TV was actually turned on. He glanced at the TV, noting that a man Mage broadcaster was currently doing a live report on a legendary figure.
That figure, not to his surprise was Spirit Master Chen and his genius granddaughter Chen Xun.
The broadcaster was filled with genuine praise that came from the heart and not just the generic words he needed to say to keep up a good PR.
"In just a day, Spirit Master Chen once again shows why he's one of the best Mage Enforcers around. Exposing the struggles of looked over Mages, helping the poor families behind them and even lending a hand to their trials, many other senior Mage Enforcers could learn a thing or two from him. He..."
It was at this point that Ervin turned off the T.V. The experience he had with Spirit Master Chen and that genius Chen Xun was enlightening.
That Spirit Master Chen was certainly an existence far above his entire being. Without Complete Invisibility, Ervin would be nothing but a helpless farm animal. Even with invisibility, there's nothing Ervin can do to Spirit Master Chen without all of his Mana being depleted in an instant.
Many others would feel genuine fear of facing such an unbeatable existence.
Ervin definitely feared facing Spirit Master Chen in his current state. But it did not mean that he did not have the confidence to one day in the future gain the strength to make someone like Spirit Master Chen completely irrelevant without using his invisibility.
The specialty of the Demon Orb gave him that innate confidence many others don't have.
As for Chen Xun, Ervin felt enlightened by their brief bout.
An Adept Mage in a full-frontal collision can still easily kill Ervin without any hassle. But Complete Invisibility allows Ervin to phase through all of their attacks.
Naturally, there comes the massive drain on his Mana reserves for phasing through the attacks, however, with how much greater Ervin's magical talents are now after all that absorption and the additional reserves from the Demon Orb, Ervin could phase through numerous attacks without getting drained.
And his own Mana power is certainly at the top of the Late Stage, if not surpassing that to face Peak Stage Novice Mages.
Ervin was sure to kill everyone in that situation if not for Spirit Master Chen's interference.
And it was this thought that led to Ervin's killing intent towards Chen Xun.
There was no hatred Ervin had for Chen Xun or really any emotion at all to the stubborn, yet righteous young maiden.
He wanted to kill her because this Chen Xun was a genius far above the nobles across Lightwall City!
They rumor that this young girl has an Orange-level magical talent, which is three stages above white, red, and yellow.
An Orange Mage has the chance to even reach the Spirit Mage realm. And from direct combat, Ervin believed that Chen Xun may have a special Innate Ability. That white light exuding from her which unnaturally increased her speed felt far too dense, denser than what he typically senses from other magical arts.
Ervin knows with Chen Xun's death, his magical core will finally evolve, allowing him to comprehend magical essence far faster, gain faster absorption, expand his magical veins and mana reserves, and allow his magical sense to grow to a point where he can do other specific professions in magic such as alchemy.
Tingles of anticipation flowed through Ervin over the great possibility.
But Ervin did not let his mind be rash. Many things had to be prepared before he went out killing the genius granddaughter of a terrifying Spirit Master Mage.
One of the normal plans is to simply reach the Peak Stage of the Novice Mage. The increase in Mana would increase how much his invisibility can phase through attacks and last.
Helpful for sure, but Ervin knows a simple Mage realm increase wasn't enough. He needed more than that.
Ervin managed to gather just from that short interaction that Chen Xun likes to take on challenges without her grandfather's help.
Spirit Master Chen was evidently close to their battle. Yet, he had only stepped in when Ervin was about to pierce Chen Xun's eyes.
It would be relying on a bit of luck and assumptions. But Ervin was nearly assured that Chen Xun would want to go out on her with powerful bodyguards and without her grandfather.
Once that happens, they would be free for Ervin to commit his plan.
The first step of the plan involves researching the Demonic Beasts in the Inner Area of the Twilight Woods, only those creatures have the Mana power to face the Advanced Stage Mages most likely to help Chen Xun.
With his plan formulated, Ervin quickly left his apartment and headed straight toward the Mage Enforcer estate.
There exists the Internet or even luxurious libraries from Noble houses containing a variety of information. But it was still the Mage Enforcers that had the most detailed information about Demonic Beasts. They had intel that was simply not accessible anywhere else or online.
...
The travel was short with Ervin's current walking speed.
Ervin soon reached the Mage Enforcer estate, directly walked in with his badge, and began making his way over to the library section of the lobby.
He had no patrols to do at the moment on the count that he already completed it this early morning.
Today was as per usual. Patrol teams and various other Mage Enforcers either prepping themselves for work, making conversations, or finishing some other task.
Evin was close to reaching the library section. However, right at this moment, a faint pulse of Mana rippled through the air, bringing about an irresistible magnetic attraction that the other Mage Enforcers could not ignore.
Many snapped their heads over including Ervin.
"Just wait a moment!"
A loud shout was heard along with the faint pulse of Mana.
When everyone looked over, they witnessed a sight that caused even senior Mage Enforcers to take a step back from.