"You can jump if you want, but I'm not jumping!""Prepare to die!" the monster shouted.Just when Clayton’s group was about to get attacked, a commanding voice rang out, "Stop right there, you vile creature!""What?"The students and the monster were taken aback. They turned around and saw two figures had appeared out of nowhere. It was Ash and Adrian."Roar!" Realizing the imminent danger, the monster did not hesitate and charged toward Ash and Adrian. However, Ash was prepared. With a swing of his blade, he decapitated the monster. "Argh!" The monster screamed, and a surge of dark energy burst forth from its severed neck. The surges of dark energy resembled black snakes as they swiftly headed toward the students' orifices. Suddenly, Adrian appeared in front of the students to block the dark energy. With a thunderous roar, he dispersed the dark energy, and the monster vanished into thin air. Soon, all the monster’s minions retreated to the netherworld. In the deserted room, o
Adrian was certain that this man was anything but ordinary. However, he was perplexed by the fact that all signs indicated that the figure was human. As a human, the figure exuded a chilling aura that sent shivers down Adrian's spine. From that, Adrian knew that confronting this individual would be no ordinary encounter."Hey, can you guys run?" Adrian whispered.The students behind him were initially taken aback but then nodded hesitantly in response."Good," Adrian continued, "I'll count to three, and you guys run. Don't worry about me. Just get out of the academy. One… Two…" Just as Adrian began the countdown, the man in the black robe waved his hand, and a surge of dark energy appeared to block their path. He chuckled sinisterly, "Since you're here, why rush to leave? Why not stay and keep me company?""Hah, who do you think you are? Why should we stay with you? Why don't you just show me your true face? Hiding behind that hood, you're probably just an ugly bastard!" Adrian t
Unfazed by the horde of fiend slaves, Adrian unleashed a mighty roar and obliterated them all with a powerful shockwave."What?! How is this possible!" the robed man exclaimed in shock.Seizing his chance, Ash swung his blade to strike down the opponent. However, the robed man swiftly blocked Ash’s attack. The two sides clashed, and for a moment, Ash felt a slight tremor in his heart. He realized that he could not gain any advantage over the robed man. At that moment, General Hydro and General Pyro, as well as Daybreak and Stygian, shouted, "We'll lend you a hand!"Immediately, they rushed toward the robed man. These four individuals were Adrian's subordinates that he recruited during his time in Mapleston. With their assistance, the pressure on Ash was significantly reduced. However, Adrian did not immediately join the fight. He watched quietly from the sidelines, and after some time, he realized that none of his subordinates could defeat the robed man."This is strange. Is this
"Uh-oh," the man realized Adrian's intentions and swiftly turned to defend himself, but it was too late.Adrian waved his hand, exclaiming, "Hah!"A fierce attack followed, catching the man in black robes off guard. He was struck, and a sharp, miserable scream escaped his mouth. Simultaneously, onlookers witnessed a black shadow erupting from his body, transforming into a whirlwind in preparation for him to escape.Adrian knew the robed man would try this trick. "Trying to run? Seal!" he shouted, launching another attack.The shadow had no chance to evade and emitted another agonized scream upon being hit."Good heavens, that was incredibly powerful. Who are you? Are you from the garrison?" a bystander exclaimed.As the enemies were defeated, students rushed over. Adrian, Ash, and the others' heroic actions left them wide-eyed with awe."Not really," Adrian replied bluntly.Clayton was puzzled. "Then, who are you—”Adrian interrupted, "Anyway, the enemies are gone. Does it mat
One of the girls stepped forward at that moment. "I can draw the sketch," she volunteered.They provided paper and pen, and the girl swiftly began drawing. In a short while, she had completed a drawing of Adrian's likeness, which bore a striking resemblance, about seventy to eighty percent accurate. Handing the drawing to Nathaniel, she said, "This is him. I can't guarantee it's an exact match though.""That's okay, this is sufficient," Nathaniel assured her, accepting the drawing. He then instructed his companions, "Herman, escort them home. Ensure they get back safely and are out of harm's way.""Of course," Herman Leach acknowledged, leading the students away.After they left, Nathaniel examined the drawing. After a moment, he frowned....The following day, Adrian slept until noon. Having been busy until late the previous night, he fell into a particularly deep slumber. And he didn’t awaken naturally; he was roused by a knock on the door of his shop."Who's there? Why are yo
"I'm truly sorry, but my tea is reserved for those with good intentions toward me. I know nothing about you, so offering you tea would be premature," Adrian explained, shrugging.At this moment, his vigilance heightened. This man had just called him by his name, implying some level of prior investigation."If that's the case, let's not beat around the bush.” Nathaniel produced a token from his pocket. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Nathaniel Albarea, deputy head of Mapleston City’s garrison."Adrian's eyes sparked at the realization of Nathaniel's high status in Mapleston, though he maintained a puzzled expression. "I'm just a commoner running a small art studio. Why would the garrison send someone of your stature here, sir?"Nathaniel chuckled at Adrian's words. "You're quite amusing, Adrian."Adrian gave him a disgruntled look. "What's so funny?"Nathaniel's laughter subsided as he continued, "Your disguise is clever indeed. But there's no need for pretense. I'm aware of wh
"It’s okay if you'd rather not tell me. The truth is, I came here to propose cooperation with you this time." Nathaniel's tone then shifted. "The incident in Meadowshire, was that your doing? Since you're so capable, you should join the garrison.""Sorry, I'm not interested.” Adrian immediately rejected Nathaniel’s proposal."Don't be so quick to reject me. Joining the garrison not only offers security and a high salary, but it also allows your potential to be fully developed." Nathaniel still seemed eager to recruit him. He believed that since he couldn't currently figure out Adrian's background, bringing him under his wing might be a good choice. This way, he could slowly investigate Adrian."I have no need for that. I'll develop my potential on my own. I don't need you to worry about that." Adrian continued to refuse. He then stood up and guided Nathaniel toward the door. "If there's nothing else, please leave. But rest assured, I'm definitely not your enemy. I’ll never, ever be,
At the intersection, Herman asked Nathaniel, "Sir, are we really going to leave just like that?"Herman had witnessed how Adrian had unceremoniously pushed Nathaniel out the door. Seeing a leader of the garrison treated in such a way by a kid made him feel a bit uneasy.Nathaniel glanced at Herman. "What else was I supposed to do? Arrest him?"Herman looked around cautiously before whispering, "I think we could employ some covert methods. Perhaps threaten to raid his shop...""Stop." Nathaniel immediately cut Herman off. "We are the garrison, not bandits. Our duty is to defend the peace of the region. We can't resort to such tactics.""But—""Don’t even think about it."Nathaniel strode away, and Herman, who followed him, wore a scowl. They were unaware that a shadow, lurking in a dark alley nearby, was observing their every move.After observing for a moment, the shadow swiftly vanished and reappeared in a secluded location where several other black-clad individuals had been w