Kai and Leo Ashwood stepped into Master Ragnar's study. The room was filled with stacks of books, scrolls of parchment, and ancient maps hanging on the walls. The smell of ink and old paper mingled with the pungent scent of sandalwood, creating a distinctive atmosphere.
Master Ragnar sat behind his large desk, poring over a thick book. He raised his head when he saw Kai and Leo enter.
"Kai, Leo, what is it?" asked Master Ragnar in a hoarse voice.
"Master Ragnar, we have something important to report," Kai said. He took out a magic orb from his pocket and showed it to Master Ragnar. "We have proof that Lysander is a dark wizard."
Master Ragnar frowned. "Dark wizard? What do you mean?"
Kai recounted everything he had seen in the forbidden room, about Lysander summoning demons and planning to destroy Aevonia. Leo added the details he knew about Lysander, including his secretive demeanor and mysterious abilities.
Master Ragnar listened intently. His face grew tense as he heard their story. After Kai finished speaking, Master Ragnar let out a long breath. "This is very serious," he said. "I didn't think Lysander would do such a heinous thing. We must act quickly before it's too late."
"What are we going to do, Master?" asked Leo.
"We must capture Lysander and bring him to justice," Master Ragnar replied. "But we must be careful. Lysander is powerful and he must have allies."
"We are ready to help, Master," Kai said. "We will do whatever it takes to stop Lysander."
Master Ragnar nodded. "Thank you, Kai, Leo. Your bravery is greatly appreciated. I will devise a plan to capture Lysander. In the meantime, you should be careful and not suspect anyone."
Kai and Leo nodded and left Master Ragnar's study. They were relieved to have reported this to Master Ragnar. Now, they had to wait for further instructions and prepare to face the looming danger.
As Kai and Leo walked out of the room, they felt the atmosphere at Aetheria University was different. Tension hung in the air, as if a storm was preparing to hit. Students whispered in the corners of the corridors, their gazes filled with anxiety.
Kai sensed something was wrong. He activated "Environmental Analysis", one of the System's new abilities. A holographic map appeared before him, displaying the floor plan of Aetheria University and the position of everyone in it.
Red dots lit up in several locations, signaling danger. Kai watched as the dots moved towards their position.
"Leo, we're in danger," Kai whispered. "There are some suspicious people approaching us."
Leo Ashwood frowned. "Who are they? Are they Lysander's followers?"
"Maybe," Kai replied. "But I'm not sure. Their auras feel different."
Suddenly, a group of people in black robes appeared from behind a corner of the corridor.
They attacked Kai and Leo with drawn swords.
Kai and Leo swiftly took out their swords and parried the attacks. A fight was inevitable.
Kai moved nimbly, dodging and attacking with astonishing speed. The physical enhancements from the System made him much stronger and faster than before. He slashed at his enemies with the "Mountain-Splitting Sword" skill, creating energy slashes that shattered their swords and shields.
Leo also fights bravely. Although his strength is not comparable to Kai's, he has superb sword techniques. He moved with precision and agility, finding gaps between enemy attacks and delivering deadly replies.
However, their enemies were too many. Kai and Leo were starting to get pushed back.
They were wounded in several parts of their bodies, and their strength was starting to run out.
At a critical moment, an arrow shot out quickly, hitting one of the attackers right in the chest. The attacker fell down with a cry of pain.
Kai and Leo turned their heads in the direction the arrow had come from. They saw a woman standing at the end of the corridor, bow and arrow in her hands. She had long blonde hair and piercing green eyes.
"Someone help us!" Leo exclaimed.
The woman jumped down from where she stood and approached Kai and Leo. With quick and purposeful movements, she fired several more arrows at the remaining attackers. The arrows hit their vital points, making them fall down helplessly. Seeing that, the other attackers immediately retreated and fled.
"Are you all right?" the woman asked in a calm voice.
"Yes, we're fine, thank you for your help," Leo replied. "You... you're Reyna Evergreen, right? I've heard about your excellent archery skills."
"True," Reyna replied briefly. She looked at Kai. "And you must be Kai Valerian."
"How do you know?" Kai asked curiously.
"Your name is quite famous after you defeated Lysander," Reyna replied with a small smile. "But it seems your victory has put you in danger." He stared intently at Kai. "Those attackers must have been sent to stop you."
"Sent by whom?" asked Kai.
"I'm not sure yet," Reyna replied. "But I suspect it has something to do with Lysander. He definitely won't keep quiet after you reveal his secret."
"So, what should we do now?" asked Leo.
Reyna thought for a moment. "We must go to Master Ragnar's study immediately," she said. "He'll know what to do."
Kai and Leo agreed. The three of them continued their journey to Master Ragnar's study, this time with Reyna accompanying them. Reyna's presence gave Kai and Leo a sense of security. They knew that they had a strong and skillful ally by their side.
The three of them hurried to Master Ragnar's study, walking down the corridors of the now tense Aetheria University. Kai felt his heart beating faster. He didn't expect his journey to Master Ragnar to turn into a battle against a mysterious attacker.
"Who are they, Reyna?" asked Kai, curiosity taking over his mind.
Reyna shook her head. "I don't know for sure," she replied. "But from their robes and the way they fight, I suspect they are members of the Shadow Guild."
"Shadow Guild?" Leo repeated in a worried tone. "Isn't that a notorious shadow organization that likes to accept assassination assignments?"
Reyna nodded. "That's right. They are very dangerous and difficult to track. I didn't expect them to get involved in this."
Kai was silent. He began to realize that he had become entangled in a bigger conspiracy than he had imagined. Lysander is not the only enemy he has to face. There were other forces at play behind the scenes, and they seemed very determined to stop him.
Arriving in front of Master Ragnar's study, they found the door wide open. A noise could be heard coming from inside.
"Something's wrong!" exclaimed Kai.
The three of them entered the room and were shocked at the state of affairs there. The room was a mess, with books and scrolls of parchment scattered across the floor. Master Ragnar lay unconscious near his desk, with a wound on his arm.
And in the center of the room, stood a black-robed man with a bloodied sword in his hand. His face was covered in a mask, but Kai instantly recognized the negative aura emanating from him.
"Lysander!" shouted Kai.
Lysander drew his sword, glaring at Kai with an angry look in his eyes. "Kai Valerian," he hissed, his voice hoarse and threatening. "You've ruined my plans!"
Kai felt anger burning in his chest. He clenched his fists, ready to fight. "You attacked Master Ragnar!" he accused.
"He was only a small victim in my grand plan," Lysander replied coldly. "And now, it's your turn!"
Lysander leapt towards Kai with astonishing speed. His sword flashed, creating a deadly flash of light. Kai dodged swiftly, using the agility he had gained from the System's physical enhancements.
Their swords clashed, producing a deafening clinking sound. Lysander attacked ferociously, using powerful and deadly Vanguard-level moves. Kai tried to fend off all the attacks with all his might, but he was starting to get overwhelmed. The difference in cultivation level between them was too great.
Leo and Reyna joined the fight. Leo, despite still being at the Novice level, fought bravely. He used his agility and accuracy to dodge Lysander's attacks and find an opening to attack. Reyna released arrows accurately, raining down on Lysander from a distance.
However, Lysander was too strong. He was able to fend off all of their attacks with ease. He even began to push them back, forcing Kai, Leo, and Reyna to defend.