Nikolai pointed at Alec with his sword.

“If you are willing to reconsider your stance on this matter and join us instead of opposing us, I am sure the Madam would be very grateful. And let me tell you, the Madam’s gratitude is far more than empty words.” Nikolai didn’t go into any details, but the tone of his voice was alluring with the promise of wealth and comfort.

Given the skills he had displayed and his age, Alec was worth a lot right now, but he would be worth even more in the future. If he was on their side and felt indebted to them after all the support they could have offered, their future in Nuss was guaranteed.

They had a good hold on the city’s avenues of pleasure, but their rivals were as numerous as the people eyeing their business. A mage skilled enough to silence an entire room without anyone noticing and strong enough to stand against Nikolai would put the Lounge of Kosa at the top of Nuss.

“I won’t apologize for turning you down. I do not have it in me to fraternize with those who put a price on and desecrate human life,” Alec answered with disgust and loathing in his voice.

Nikolai and the Madam were polar opposites to him. There was no way he could work together with them. Still, he appreciated the chance to stabilize his breathing and prepare countermeasures.

Nikolai was strong.

Alec had a lot of tricks up his sleeve, but he struggled to keep up with Nikolai. He also didn’t have the raw strength to break through Nikolai’s defenses.

But it wasn’t over yet.

‘Earth Spike. Earth Spike. Earth Spike.’

Alec fired Earth Spike in rapid succession at Nikolai from beneath his feet. He cut the first two with two swings while half-stepping. Third one, he jumped to avoid before landing on the sharp tip with a fencer’s poise.

“Show me more, Kid.”

Alec didn’t bother with a verbal response. Instead, he erected an Earth Dome around Nikolai. If he couldn’t defeat him, maybe he could trap him long enough to get away.

‘Damn it!’ Alec had barely enclosed the Dome before Nikolai cut an ‘X’ and broke down the wall.

“I don’t really like enclosed spaces, you know. Makes me claustrophobic.”

‘Thanks for the tip, I guess.’

Alec threw up an Earth Wall in Nikolai’s face before using Accelarate to dash toward the main entrance.

He would not be ending this quickly unless he lost. He needed to signal to Millie that she had to get out while he stalled them. The best way to do that was to cause as much of a ruckus as possible.

Fortunately, he had experience with that.

Nikolai cut through and kicked the Earth Wall into the next life before staring at Alec’s back with a frown. His gut hadn’t told him that Alec was a runner, so he hadn’t been worried about that, but then he glanced around him for a moment before chuckling.

He had made it sound like he was going to kill everyone unless Nikolai listened.

In the end, it was Alec who suffered from the presence of insects around.

It made Nikolai curious.

For a kid who had yet to sprout his first chest hair, Alec was already a very dangerous mage with what he had already shown so far. If Nikolai let his guard down, he could actually, maybe, possibly, lose if he slipped on something on the ground and the sunlight hit him when he least expected it.

What did he have up his sleeves that made him hesitant to fight indoors?

Nikolai couldn’t wait to find out, so he hurried after Alec, careful not to use his full speed. Madam would probably chastise him later, but she would do it with a smile if he returned with Alec in Nilver shackles.

Nikolai felt a chill run down his spine the moment he was about to open the door. He took half a step back and planted the sole of his foot on the door, kicking it into the same life as the Earth Wall.

It exploded outward in a thousand pieces. However, less than a second later, a sharp blast like the crack of a muffled whip rang out, and a dozen pieces were sent flying back inside.

Fortunately, Nikolai had already stepped to the side and hid behind the wall.

“Woah…”

Yep. Nikolai understood why Alec didn’t want to fight indoors when he was worried about harming others. If he unleashed something like that, whatever it was, in a closed space, few would be walking away unharmed.

It was a shame, really. If Alec had been heartless, this fight would have been a lot easier on him.

Nikolai shook his head and clicked his tongue as he stepped out. The moment he did, his senses told him to turn around, run, and flee. Preferably yesterday.

But he could still feel that it was manageable. He just had to guard himself well.

Nikolai’s eyes narrowed, and his mana sense honed in on the five dense lumps of magic in the air. He couldn’t see them with his naked eyes, which could only mean one thing.

It was a wind mage using their natural element.

“Now that’s surprising,” Nikolai said, amazed. He had thought earth magic was Alec’s thing, considering the Pebbleshots and earthen constructs.

Apparently, those were just spells he knew for some reason.

He was even more excited to see what he would unleash now.

Nikolai raised his mana-clad blade and swung it horizontally, unleashing a blade of condensed mana. He cut three of the Bursts apart, triggering them from a distance.

The combined shockwave wasn’t as great as the first, since they were still several steps away. But it was still enough to make Nikolai brace himself and lean forward. His ears were numb, but his eyes remained open and sharp as he looked at Alec.

Alec’s pupils narrowed to pinpricks.

Projected mana.

‘Well, shit…’

It was the sign of a four-star Warrior.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep