Chapter 173: New Enemies

The forest had finally fallen quiet. Just the faint crackle of fading mana. Just their breaths. Steadying after battle.

Amon slid his weapons back into his hold, tension still tight in his shoulders.

Eliana wiped stray blood from her cheek. Marcus rolled his wrist, catching his breath.

Seraphina and Arnold scanned the treeline, their auras still ignited. Just in case.

“Should we go back to the airship?” Amon asked. For some reason he didn’t want to stay here. He got a gut feeling. Most of the time, out of curiosity, he ignored it. But here, there was nothing to be curious about.

Need to go back! I am getting chills here.

“Yeah. I think we should leave now. Before another enemy comes. It’s better to be near the professors.” Seraphina agreed with Amon. She could not stay here much longer. Those enemies were mostly targeting her… and Arnold. But she didn’t realize it yet.

“Alright then, let’s go,” Eliana said while brushing her platinum blonde hair.

While they were getting ready to turn and move,

Arnold was looking in the other direction—the path that led deep inside the forest. His eyes cold like ice.

“I don’t think we can go.” He raised his sword, grip tightening on the hilt.

“We’ve got more people here.”

At his words, the group tensed immediately.

Then.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

A slow, mocking applause echoed through the trees.

A soft, chilling giggle followed.

“Hehehe~ You all did wonderfully.”

Everyone froze.

From between the dense trees, a hooded woman stepped into the moonlit clearing. Her gait playful, almost floating. The long black robe shifted around her like living shadows.

Her face was covered by a half mask. Strands of grey hair peeked from her cloak.

Behind her walked two more masked men.

Tall. Silent. Deadly.

Amon clicked his tongue and immediately summoned his sword again and hatchet.

Marcus’ spear glowed faintly.

’There. They finally came. Like true villains, Amon thought irritably.’

Aisha clenched her fists. Her nails turned into claws.

Eliana drew her bow.

Even Arnold narrowed his eyes.

The cheerful stranger clasped her hands together and bowed theatrically.

“Bravo! Truly~! Defeating those six so quickly. How impressive! I cannot expect anything less from you guys.”

“Such impressive teamwork…” she said, clapping softly. “Six of my people, defeated by a bunch of exhausted academy brats. Adorable.”

Her voice was sweet… too sweet.

And it sent a cold stir down their spines.

Seraphina stepped forward slightly, golden aura flickering around her.

“Who are you?” she asked sharply.

The robed woman paused mid-step.

Then she lowered her hood. Just enough for them to see the curve of a twisted smile.

“Hehehe~ You want to know who I am?”

She tilted her head, eyes glinting like a predator amused by cornered prey.

“Well~ I suppose I should at least reward you. You survived my little toys, after all.”

Her fingers traced the air as if writing her name.

“I’ll tell you… because you made this so fun. And I would love if you remember my name.”

The two masked men behind her stepped forward, their presence alone suffocating.

The woman’s giggle echoed again, soft and spine-chilling.

“Listen carefully, children of Arcadia—”

She leaned forward, smile widening unnaturally.

The hooded woman tilted her head, her smile stretching unnaturally wide under her mask. No one could see it, but they felt it. She was smiling.

“I asked who are you?” Seraphina asked her again.

The woman giggled. High, musical, and unsettlingly childish.

“Have some patience. I am coming there.”

She lowered her hood.

Underneath was a face far too young and far too beautiful for the malice swirling in her eyes. Sharp violet irises glowing faintly, like amethyst catching moonlight. Grey hairs. But half face still hidden.

“My name… is Lynira Vaelcres,” she said with a graceful curtsy. “Try to remember it. If you live.”

The group stiffened instantly, weapons rising, mana senses flaring. They could tell it. This woman was beyond what they could handle. She was too powerful.

Marcus whispered, “That name… I’ve never heard it…”

Amon looked at Marcus with a frown.

’She’s from some secret organization. Where will you hear her name, you idiot!?’

Amon turned back to the woman. His body tensed on instinct. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

’She is too strong.’

Lynira walked around them casually, hands folded behind her back, humming a playful tune.

“You know, I came just to observe,” she said. “But then you children started defeating my men. Well anyway, they were just toys. A little experiment of ours. Guess they were still too weak. Need to do more research on it. So they can be stronger, more useful.”

She paused and giggled. “Putting that aside, you being all heroic and dramatic—I simply had to meet you myself!”

She tapped her cheek.

“Oh! And that lightning spell earlier—seriously, wow. Who taught you kids that? Very impressive!”

No one spoke.

They stayed ready.

Lynira giggled again. “Aww, don’t be so stiff. I promise I won’t kil–”

She vanished.

No sound. No gust of wind. No blur.

One breath she was talking…

The next.

Amon blinked.

And Seraphina was suddenly folded forward around a fist buried deep in her stomach. The impact was too much.

“Gah—!”

Saliva flew from Seraphina’s mouth as the impact shockwave cracked the air. Her eyes widened in sheer agony as her body bent unnaturally, the force lifting her off the ground.

Then,

BOOM!

She was launched like a ragdoll, crashing into a tree several meters away. Bark exploded. The trunk split down the middle.

“SERAPHINA!” Amon screamed.

Just then she moved even faster. Her figure blurred and then vanished.

Lynira was already in front of Arnold.

He didn’t even see her appear.

His sword still raised. But it was of no use.

He only felt.

CRACK.

Her kick slammed into his chest with such force his ribs bent inward. Arnold’s eyes rolled back as he was blasted away, tumbling across the dirt, forming a deep trench with his body.

Amon’s breath froze.

’How… how fast is she?’

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