Chapter 278: Three Seconds

Stan Watson felt that this was a joke, but Anna didn't think so...

If that young mage gave a feeling of danger just when he came out of the bush, then after raising his staff, Anna felt an icy chill in her bones. That chill was similar to being watched by a viper from brush or standing at the edge of a cliff. It was inexplicable, but so very vivid.

Anna had been training under Storm Sword Saint Talos from an early age. Her eyes were far keener than the average person could imagine. From when she joined the Red Dragon Mercenary Group at 18 to becoming the 1st vice leader now, she had experienced hundreds of battles. Her repeated close encounters with death gave Anna some instincts that far surpassed those of ordinary Expert Swordsmen when it came to feeling danger.

She felt the chilling sensation of danger just as the Flame Prison appeared.

That feeling was so intense that Anna thought that death had already come to claim its victim.

"Protect Young Master Stan!" Although she didn't know what the danger was, Anna still held her sword and dashed forward at the young mage stuck in the Flame Prison.

The power of an Expert Swordsman bursting with the Sky Aura was very threatening. Her speed reached the pinnacle and she looked like a meteor crashing into the Flame Prison.

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

Because the young mage had already extended his hand.

This hand didn't seem strong or powerful, but when Anna saw it, it made her go pale.

"Fuck!"

She was still twenty meters away from the Flame Prison when she swung her sword, letting the Aura contained within burst out with an ear-piercing sound. In a flash, a cyan aura could be seen flying in the shape of a curved moon, displaying beauty as well as endless killing intent.

Anna's attack could only be described as shocking. Even Stan, who had said that only Sword Saints were qualified to worry about his safety, could draw back in surprise in front of this attack.

But it was such a pity, because it was still too late.

The cyan Sword Aura was only a meter away from the Flame Prison.

But this meter was like an uncrossable ravine. Before the deep cyan Sword Aura could breach that distance, the young mage's slender hand had already grabbed the Flame Prison and gently pushed.

The prison of raging flames tore open.

In that moment, Anna even saw the young mage calmly pat the dust off his body before casually waving his magic staff.

Following that, a strange rune appeared out of nowhere.

"Runic Shield!"

Anna was startled.

The might of that Runic Shield far surpassed what anyone could have imagined. A strange rune could be seen floating in the air. It was neither dazzling nor bright, and it didn't emit any frightening aura. It was only silently floating there just like a dried up leaf.

But it was this rune like a dried up leaf that blocked Anna's all-out Crescent Moon Slash. The deep cyan Sword Aura exploded against the strange rune...

The scene was too strange.

It was obviously an extremely fierce explosion, but there were no sounds and no traces of Aura or mana flowing out... Everything happened silently.

The strange rune floated there like a bottomless black hole, swallowing away all the power.

"This is impossible..." Anna was a bit stunned, this completely surpassed her imagination.

But this beautiful Expert Swordsman was a veteran, she was only startled for a split-second before bursting with Aura once again and slashing with her sword three times. Three Crescent Moon Slashes burst out consecutively with Sword Aura. At this time, the entire area seemed to be covered by her Sword Aura: sound, wind, rocks, soil, branches, everything was bathing in that power.

It could be said that this beautiful Expert Swordsman was bursting with all her power.

But...

The young mage wasn't affected at all. That strange rune was like an unbreakable barrier that stifled Anna's efforts. The young mage was still walking very slowly with his staff in hand, a smile on his face.

But in Anna's eyes, he looked like a ghost, a shadow of death.

Facing the three Crescent Moon Slashes, the young mage's hair wasn't even ruffled as he walked straight through the Sword Aura, leaving the three slashes in the dust.

When he brushed past her, Anna felt her hair standing up on her head.

Besides Anna and Stan Watson, there were still fifty members of the Red Dragon Mercenaries, but she was the only one that could feel the danger.

Only Anna, who knew how much she had put into those four Crescent Moon Slashes, knew how frightening that young mage was. He simply wasn't an existence an Expert Swordsman could contend with. A common High Mage couldn't use a Runic Shield to block four of her Crescent Moon Slashes.

Anna had never met such a powerful opponent.

When the enemy brushed past her, Anna felt like her heart had stopped beating. The feeling of being on the verge of death was terrifying.

He only brushed past her for a split second.

But to Anna, it felt like a year. Her back was already drenched in sweat, she had tightened her fists until they turned white, her heart was beating fiercely, and she was panting heavily. After some time, Anna finally felt that pressure disappear.

"Phew..." Anna sighed in relief when the pressure dissipated.

But she recalled this young mage's words.

"I truly hold no evil intentions, I only came to kill Stan Watson, it has nothing to do with you..."

"Fuck!" Anna cried out in alarm. She tightened her grip on her sword and rushed over like lightning.

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

Anna had chased after him as fast as she could, but she only caught up to a spark of flame. The young mage had burst into raging flames just as he passed her.

Elemental Incarnation!

The young, carefree mage had already turned into an Elemental Incarnation and taken advantage of the remaining flames from the Flame Prison to reach Stan with a Flame Flash.

"Who are you? You dare become the enemy of the Watson Family?" Stan had a grave expression. He raised his magic staff and burst out with the power of an 8th Rank High Mage, showing that he was worthy of being the most outstanding genius of the Watson Family.

He didn't panic when facing the young mage. He used a counterspell to gain some valuable time and then cast a Flame Field to restrain the fire elements and stop them from being too active. The two spells were insta-cast, and they were cast accurately and perfectly.

After this, he cast an Ice Wall.

Not many mages knew that the 2nd Tier Spell, Ice Wall, was still one of the best ways to handle Fire Elemental Incarnation, even after gaining access to spells of higher tiers. The Ice Wall itself had the effect of suppressing fire elements, while also bringing powerful physical defenses. To a Fire Elemental Incarnation, which used fire elements for both spells and physical attacks, the Ice Wall was a true nemesis.

The three spells in a row displayed the true power of Stan Watson.

He was worthy of being the genius nurtured by the Watson Family. Even though he had grown up under the protection of the Watson Family, he wasn't lacking in fighting experience. Despite facing an Elemental Incarnation at close range, he didn't panic.

This was the difference being peak forces and ordinary forces.

Compared to Stan Watson, the genius from the Monchi Family, Ryan, was far too inferior.

Stan Watson sneered after casting these three spells. The light at the tip of his magic staff flickered as the mana stored within erupted out.

This time, he cast Chain Lightning.

This spell, which had reached 6th Tier, was extremely destructive.

Stan Watson knew that as long as he could hold for three seconds, the Chain Lightning would completely rip through his enemy.

"Careful!" At this time, Stan heard the warning of the beautiful Swordsman.

But that reminder felt laughable to Stan, who was in the middle of channelling Chain Lightning. Although Anna wasn't weak, her insight was too shallow. How could she understand his marvelous setup? In the end, insight depended on one's strength. An Expert Swordsman was only a joke, only a Sword Saint was qualified to mind his safety.

But...

Stan Watson's smile suddenly disappeared.

Because he noticed a flame passing through the thick Ice Wall.

'How could it be!?'