Felix couldn’t make sense of the scene at first. Why were the masked attackers just standing there? And why was the Caprinae woman—dressed in travel gear, her brown skin partially hidden beneath a hood—so composed, even speaking to him with casual interest?

But the moment passed in an instant.

Felix gave a curt nod, instinctively reloading the magazine of his pistol, then unleashed a volley of gunfire toward the black-robed figures on the ground.

A wild, feral grin stretched across the Caprinae’s face. She licked the corner of her mouth—radiating the air of a villainess—before drawing the magic sword at her waist. In an instant, flames burst from the blade’s tip and edge, igniting in vivid red. Crimson light pulsed from her figure as the very sand at her feet began to tremble.

Then—nothing happened.

She remained where she stood, proudly deflecting the surging ink spells with confident sweeps of her flaming sword.

In front of Felix, a masked killer exchanged blows with the Caprinae, while another enemy closed in from behind. Felix turned, and a surge of bright yellow electricity crackled from beneath his coat.

Sunlight filtered into the narrow alley, casting a golden sheen across the bloodstained gravel. He stood at the entrance, Ace of Spades in hand, reloading with calm precision. His eyes were cold, unreadable.

A breeze swept through the alleyway as Felix moved with quiet grace. His movements flowed like water—silent, deliberate—blending seamlessly with his surroundings, as though even daylight couldn’t catch him.

A chorus of shrill chants erupted as several black-robed enemies raised their staffs toward him. Their cloaks whipped in the wind, the crimson glow from their masked faces pulsing ominously. Felix fired a shot into one Caster’s abdomen, then ducked into the alley’s corner just in time to avoid three incoming waves of inky magic.

He dashed out a moment later, both the Ace of Spades and the dawn drawn. The bullets tore through the air toward one Caster’s head. The target narrowly dodged—one round grazing his shoulder in a spray of blood.

Felix didn’t reload.

Instead, he closed the gap in a heartbeat, his movements as swift and precise as a cheetah. Within five steps, he knew fists beat Arts. He lunged forward, electricity crackling around his fists, and struck the Caster square in the chest.

It felt like punching into cotton.

Though the blow sent the Caster sprawling and coughing blood, it wasn’t enough to finish him off.

Black ink surged toward him again.

Felix responded with several gunshots, charging headlong through the magical barrage.

His health dropped by over 400 points, but his mental resistance held—no debuffs triggered. This was the payoff for maxing out both physical and magical defenses.

This support plays like a heavy tank Defender.

Realizing the ink magic dealt little actual damage, Felix knew these enemies were no real threat. He whipped around and delivered a brutal kick, knocking the last Caster unconscious.

Then, without hesitation, he dragged the body to a street corner—where the Caprinae woman had just finished her own battle.

At that moment, the traveler was surrounded by a faint yellow glow, as if a luminous sphere enveloped her entirely. When she caught sight of Felix, her expression cooled.

“Not bad, little brother. You actually took them all down.”

“And you?” Felix asked as he glanced toward her.

He noticed the staves in several Casters’ hands were trembling. One of them attempted to cast a strange Originium Arts technique, but when it struck the glowing sphere around the Caprinae, there was no significant effect.

The attack landed—but it barely scratched her.

“I caught one,” Felix said flatly, tossing the unconscious Caster he’d captured onto the ground. He calmly reloaded his pistol. “What should we do about the rest?”

“They launched a terrorist attack in a mobile city—in broad daylight. If we hadn’t been here, countless innocent residents might’ve died at their hands. Killing them… should be justified, right?”

“Three people are already dead,” Felix said coolly. “They’re couriers, maybe employees from local courier company.”

A savage grin curled across Caprinae’s face. “Then kill them.”

With that, yellow sand surged up from the ground, billowing forward like a tsunami. In a matter of seconds, it swallowed the remaining three Casters.

They didn’t even have time to scream.

Caprinae let out a snort, her expression returning to calm. She glanced at Felix, nodded slightly, then looked down at the unconscious Caster.

“What should we do with this guy?”

“We need to make him talk—at the very least, find out who these lunatics are.”

The white-haired Caprinae squatted down beside the Caster and examined his mask. Placing her palm over it, light began to flicker from her hand.

“This mask is actually a Arts unit. Removing it won’t be easy,” she said steadily. “Still… looking at it reminds me of an old rumor.”

“Witch King?” Felix asked, staring at the mask. The design didn’t ring any bells.

Despite having fought in countless battles in his previous life, he had no memory of enemies like these. Either they were introduced in a later version of the game, or perhaps they’d always operated underground—never surfacing before the players.

“Looks like they’re remnants of the Witch King,” Caprinae said with a scoff, shaking her head. “My luck must be cursed. I run into these creeps the moment I enter the city.”

Remnants of the Witch King…

Felix still had no direct recollection of enemies by that name, but from the sound of it, these were likely zealots—fanatical followers of a dead tyrant. Though the Witch King had perished decades ago, it seemed a hidden cult still clung to his legacy in the shadows.

Neither of them spoke for a while.

Then, hurried footsteps echoed from the end of the street. Several soldiers in uniform, clearly city guards, rushed onto the scene. They froze in shock at the bloody aftermath.

One of them immediately drew his blade and barked out, “Who are you? Drop your weapons!”

“We’re tourists visiting Graufield. Here are our IDs.” Felix stepped forward calmly. His unflinching demeanor caused the guards to hesitate, some even lowering their weapons. He presented his identification and the travel permit for entering Leithanien. “We were attacked without warning. Thankfully, we’re fine—but you were late. I wonder if Graufield is already slipping into chaos.”

“Watch your tone,” one of the guards cautioned.

Another coughed lightly, then gave a small bow. “Apologies. To understand the situation fully, could we ask you to come with us to the station for questioning?”

Felix nodded slightly and replied, “I think you’ve got more urgent work—start with the interrogation. I knocked out one of the attackers; he’ll wake up soon.”

“What?!”

The guards rushed to check the unconscious man. When they confirmed he was still alive, their expressions turned from concern to relief. Having a living perpetrator meant they could extract vital information and trace the organization behind the attack. And as citizens of Leithanien, they wouldn’t be mistaken—the strange masks confirmed it. These were unmistakably remnants of the Witch King.

Meanwhile, Felix struck up a conversation with a man wearing a golden mask, learning that he was a member of the Gesatzswächter—Leithania’s elite enforcement force. The others were part of the gendarmerie, responsible for upholding national law.

This Gesatzswächter had been on an official assignment in the city and hadn’t expected to be caught up in such an incident.

Returning to Caprinae’s side, Felix found her looking restless, clearly bored.

“We need to head to the police station,” he said.

“Ugh… guess we have no choice.”

The white-haired traveler scratched her head, clearly annoyed. But she quickly composed herself and gave Felix a calm, relaxed smile.

“Let me introduce myself. I’m Carnelian, from Sargon.”

Sargon… a land of tribes and scattered settlements. While its technological level was similar to the rest of Terra, it still clung tightly to its ancient customs and traditions.

“My name is Felix, a messenger from Laterano. I’m currently journeying through this land of hardship.”

“You’re traveling too?” Carnelian looked at him with mild surprise. During the earlier battle, she had found him dependable—his movements fluid and precise, his coordination seamless. Whether with firearms or in hand-to-hand combat, he showed no hesitation. She had assumed from his height and presence that he was older than her. But now, seeing him up close, she began to wonder if perhaps he was younger?

Felix simply nodded, offering no further comment. The Gesatzswächter had already approached to escort them.

Carnelian let out a small sigh. She had only just arrived in Leithanien, and already she was involved in an incident. And now, a trip to the police station. Still, she hadn’t done anything wrong. As a responsible and upstanding citizen, she’d be released soon enough. It was just… unlucky, really.

After sitting in the station for half an hour, neither Felix nor Carnelian had anything new to share. Aside from their guess that the attackers were remnants of the Witch King, they knew little else.

Felix was unfamiliar with the details of Leithanien’s recent affairs. As for Carnelian—she had just stepped foot into the nation the day before. And now, here she was, sitting in a police station.

The two were escorted out of the police station by the gendarmerie, who wore polite smiles on their faces.

Felix was speechless. He had simply gone out to run an errand today, but not only had he failed to receive his delivery, he’d also been dragged into a completely unexpected incident. Was this retribution for getting the Lumen gun last time? Had all his luck run out?

“I’m hungry…” Carnelian muttered.

Felix shrugged. “Want to grab dinner together?”

“Sure. Got any recommendations?”

“Nope. It’s my first time in Graufield too.” He glanced at Carnelian, who was absentmindedly twirling a strand of her short white hair. “But I do know what kind of food this city is best known for. As long as we follow that lead, we can’t go wrong.”

Carnelian nodded without hesitation.

Felix only knew a handful of Caprinae, and among them, both Degenbrecher and Carnelian were older than him—women who could be considered his older sisters in spirit. Both were straightforward and unpretentious, the kind who never beat around the bush.

The two sat on the terrace of a restaurant, leaning back in their chairs while the waiter poured their champagne. They each took a sip.

“You’re allowed to drink at your age?” She asked.

“In Laterano, even underage folks can drink sweet wines.”

“By the way, this place is pretty pricey. If we end up splitting the bill, I might have to sleep on the streets tonight.”

Despite her words, Carnelian drank her champagne with the carefree air of someone unconcerned.

Felix waved his hand dismissively. “Let this meal commemorate our first meeting. My treat.”

“So generous? Felix, you’re not secretly rich or anything, right?”

“I can at least afford to treat one person.”

Carnelian gave a playful whistle just as the waiter began to serve the appetizers. She popped a leaf into her mouth and began to chew leisurely.

“Felix, are you traveling all over Terra?”

It was a continuation of the conversation that had been interrupted earlier by the Gesatzswächter.

“Why do I wander through this land of suffering?” Felix looked up at the sky, tinged pink by the fading light, clouds glowing with fire. “Because although this land is scarred by hardship, it’s also filled with endless miracles and civilizations.”

He gently rolled a few old coins between his fingers. Each one bore the emblem of a different nation—small symbols of the vast diversity of Terra.

“Every corner here carries traces of history. Every inch of land has its own story. This journey isn’t just for sightseeing—it’s a path of exploration, and a tribute to the soul of this world.”

“The diversity and resilience of this land have taught me to value life and freedom even more.”

Carnelian tilted her head, smiling. “Felix, do you always talk like that? All profound and poetic?”

“?”

Carnelian grinned. “My sister does that sometimes. She acts like a little grown-up in front of me. Seeing you like this really reminds me of her.”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty. You?”

“Eighteen.”

Carnelian’s smile widened, her expression playful and smug—as if to say, See? Told you so.

Felix’s fists clenched slightly. If Kal’tsit weren’t still in Kazdel, he would’ve dragged this clueless Caprinae in front of her and let Kal’tsit have a friendly little chat with Carnelian.

“And you, Carnelian—what’s the reason behind your journey across Terra?”

Carnelian blinked her scarlet eyes, glancing at Felix’s side profile for a moment before turning her gaze to the pink-hued sky.

“I’m from an ancient tribe in Sargon. According to our tradition, once we reach adulthood, we leave our homeland to travel the world and pursue knowledge.”

“I originally planned to pass through Leithanien on my way to Columbia, then return to make Leithanien the final stop. But I didn’t expect to run into something like this the moment I stepped into the country.”

“You’re heading to Columbia?”

Carnelian crossed her legs casually, the curve of her slender brown legs visible beneath her travel clothes. She turned to Felix with a teasing smile. “What, are you Colombian?”

“More or less. I’m a shareholder in a tech company over there.”

Noticing Carnelian’s doubtful expression, Felix chuckled and shook his head. “Don’t believe me? If you’re skeptical, come with me to Columbia. I’ve got some business back there anyway—I can show you the company myself.”

Carnelian knew it was the most basic kind of provocation. Still, she curled her lips into a small smile and said, “Sure.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep