At last, the two presences made their faces known as they ascended.

Alastor’s eyes quickly cast on the familiar face. The men next to him felt ignored.

Benny coughed. Sweats appeared all over his face. He pulled his garb and threw it on the wind. Different types of daggers hang on his waist and chest.

“You again?” Alastor started. “I thought Mr. F took care of you.”

“Well, he took the bait.”

“What?”

“Where’s the girl?”

The man asked. He has long dark wavy hair. His eyes loom in the darkness.

“I said, where is the girl?”

Benny could only hiss. The man’s appearance is out of his expectations. Benny knew him very well.

Ursax is a cold-hearted man. He is the very definition of a killing machine. He won’t hesitate to kill anyone on his way just to accomplish his missions.

Ursax hit Alastor with a cold glance, and without a word, he reached for his single edge sword.

Alastor did not reply. He swallowed his fear and did the same. He pulled out the knife from being strapped in his back. It was the knife that he stole back in Vesoga Plain. He held his sword and knife with a hard grip.

Alastor made his first move.

Alastor cast transcendent walls. Most of the walls restrain Benny’s movement. His intention is clear. Alastor wanted to take them on one at a time.

Alastor went to Ursax first. He performed feint attacks in an attempt to confuse the enemy’s field of vision.

Despite the years of exhausting training, Alastor felt a shiver of apprehension as his kicked on the ground gave him a huge lurch.

His sword slashes diagonally in the air. Ursax didn’t move. His huge arms arched and shielded him. The two swords hissed and brimmed in brilliant light for a second.

Alastor withdraw.

It was at this moment Benny saw the opportunity. He made his move quietly and got on Alastor’s back.

“You’re mine.” Benny thought.

He hasn’t regained his footing, so the only logical thing to do is to use his knife to clash against the dagger Benny.

Gaining his footing back, Alastor shifted his weight from bobbling. It was at this time he felt the cold touch of death on his neck.

Benny was able to get out of the way and out of the range as Ursax push Alastor on the tree. Hard and grip. Unfettered and determined.

“Tell me. Are you that foolish to die just for a mere stranger?

“So what?”

“You’re a mercenary. Not a soldier. How pity for you to die on a fight that you’re not part of. A complete joke.”

Benny got back on his feet.

“Hey, would you rather not include your comrade as collateral damage? And that boy is my prey. I got to him first.”

Ursax ignored him.

It was the moment he was waiting for. Alastor’s fingers flinched. The transcendent wall had fallen on Ursax and crashed in the woods. Benny stepped forward. His dagger crashed against Alastor’s sword. He wasn’t blind to notice the small figure of mirror-like transcendent wall and managed to return the favor as well.

They fired at each other.

Benny’s sound blast Alastor and Alastor’s transcendent wall magic pushed the enemy away.

Alastor felt the pressure of his attack as he crashed on the tree. The light armor he wore cracked. He already understands that his magic is stronger than him. But it was not the right time to amaze and certainly, it’s not ideal to give them time to recover.

Alastor turns his hand in Ursax direction. In a single swing, the transcendent walls followed over and crash to his location. The crashing glass of transcendent walls erupted and the tremors cut down the branches of trees.

“Very impressive.”

Alastor’s ears caught those eerie words.

Through the swelling billowing smoke of dust, Ursax stepped out in the shadow as if nothing had happened.

“Most remarkable creativity, I must say. You are still the guy I remembered back in the old days. You did really well, Alastor.”

Alastor felt an eerie shiver of shock creeping on his back. The question in his mind ran back and forth. Who the hell is this guy?

“I know what you are thinking right now. You must be very confused about how I knew your identity.”

Alastor raised a brow. “How? Who the hell are you?”

“You mean you don’t recognize this face? This gash you gave to me?”

Ursax lifted and turn his head on the right. He showed his blemish on his neck on the left side.

“You’re the one who gave me this scar, Alastor. Don’t you remember?”

“I-I have no idea who you are pal. And I don’t care.”

Ursax is confused but then again, he returns to his composed attitude and slightly nodded as if confirming something.

“I see. The memory suppressing spell is still intact. In that case, allow me to remind you… THROUGH PAIN!”

Ursax took a big leaped. Alastor stepped back, balancing his weight to properly parry the incoming attack. Alastor rasped before Ursax swung his sword downward. Their swords bang as they connected. The rushing flow of rage in his blood made it possible to withstand Ursax attack.

He felt the tremor of Ursax force clashing through their weapons connected at each other. Their weapons hisses and sparks.

The force between the two weapons trailed to their bodies and to their boots. The ground trembled and the wind erupted.

Out of the two, Ursax is the one who’s not struggling, in fact, he proved to be taking over the fight. Alastor stepped back, bit by bit.

“What seems to be the problem? This is isn’t like you. A meager competition of strength like this is nothing. Show me what you got.”

Alastor finally had it. He withdrew.

“Coward!”

Ursax moves hastily. Alastor spun around, creating enough momentum to deflect Ursax’s attack. However, it was for a moment he successfully deflects him, the next attacks are quick and hard.

Alastor gritted his teeth and pulled away.

“You’re not going anywhere!”

Alastor was surprised at his speed. He knew it. He aims for a fatal blow.

Before Ursax sword can reach him, the small piece of transcendent wall activated and enlarge. It hard-pressed Ursax away.

“You of all should know that magics like this won’t be effective against me.”

It was his strength that shattered the wall into dozens of glass pieces.

“I got his ya!”

Alastor shivered as his eyes caught Benny’s shadow swiftly went on his back. In front of him is Ursax dashing towards him.

The time reeled slow. His mind was blank.

Out of nowhere, Benny was blasted by a white light.

Another white light blasted away Ursax.

“What… what just happened?”

Ursax recovered quickly and got up. Benny, on the other hand, is injured, he was shot on his shoulder.

“What was that?!” Benny shouted.

Ursax eyes looked around. His vision enhanced, but it was too late. Another white hue of light shot him in the arm and legs. It wasn’t fatal, but the damage packed a punch.

20 feet away from them Tin blows the smoke out of her gun. Her gun was modeled after a rifle, but only slightly different. It uses the same principle as Cid’s gun. The handle can absorb the mana and store it on a core that can be found in the slide. It was called Mana Gun.

“Benny!”

“I got it!”

Alastor darted his eyes on the sore. He felt the presence hiding behind the bush and the tree. He knew very well a person who thinks like that.

“It appears that one of your comrades made his way here.”

“If I, were you, I won’t underestimate her.”

“Her? A woman did that?”

“She may be skinny and all but that las are capable as I am.”

Alastor grinned. This time, his speed this time increase and created feint presences.