Seraphina watched the two figures recede with a slight furrow of her brows.
The fleeting glimpse of that green figure seemed familiar, yet she couldn't quite place who it might be.
But one thing was clear—this was a top-tier talent. Otherwise, they couldn't have pushed Lucas to resort to his last resort.
The skill Lucas had employed was a secret technique of House Carter, one that inflicted severe damage to his very foundation.
He would never have used it unless driven to a corner.
Seraphina grew curious about this person's identity.
After a moment of thought, she retrieved several potions from her storage ring, ones that restored mana and vitality.
Having consumed them, the weariness in Seraphina's body eased somewhat, and she quickly set off in the direction the two had gone.
...
The Red Moon cast its crimson light below.
Atop the towering edifices of Phantom Ruins, a green figure leaped from building to building with the agility of a spirited monkey.
Hot on his trail, Lucas was enveloped in a mist of blood, pursuing him with a frenzy.
He was fast, attempting several times to close the gap between them, but each time John's timely skills frustratingly interrupted him.
John's skills were deployed with impeccable timing, leaving Lucas feeling particularly thwarted.
Despite being faster, he just couldn't catch up, and the distance between them seemed to only grow wider.
However, Lucas was not in a hurry.
He knew such skills from his opponent couldn't be sustained indefinitely; there would eventually be a gap.
And once the opponent's skill ended, he could unleash Crimson Shadow and surely catch up.
Lucas sneered, "I told you, you can't escape! The moment your skill runs out, it'll be your doom!"
Ahead, John didn't turn back, instead, he hurled a massive water orb towards Lucas with a wave of his hand.
Lucas hastily dodged, activating a blood shield, but was still struck.
"Boom!"
The skill exploded, and although Lucas was unharmed, his figure was forced back, widening the gap between them once again.
Lucas, furious, gritted his teeth, "You bastard, if I catch you, I'll tear you to pieces!"
John ahead remained silent.
He knew Lucas was waiting for the Wind Flow Spell's duration to end to capture him in one fell swoop.
But John had his countermeasures ready...
As the chase ensued, a dilapidated building soon appeared in front of them.
The gap between the two buildings was over twenty meters—impossible to leap across—and below was a hundred-meter drop.
At this moment, the green glow around John began to flicker.
The duration of the Wind Flow Spell was nearing its end, and he was cornered!
John was left with two choices: either jump from the hundred-meter building to his death or be captured and tortured by Lucas.
Excitement flashed in Lucas's eyes, knowing his opportunity had arrived.
"Crimson Shadow, activate!"
Transforming into a shadow of blood, Lucas's speed surged as he rapidly closed in on John.
John's gaze remained calm, showing no signs of despair.
He released a fire serpent to slow Lucas's approach.
Simultaneously, a shield of intertwining green and blue hues enveloped John.
His speed surged once more!
"Zephyr Shield!"
In the face of Lucas's disbelief, John's figure turned into a streak of green lightning, leaping from the top of the hundred-meter-high building!
His cloak billowed, eyes bright, like a green falcon under the blood moon, tracing a beautiful arc towards the opposite skyscraper.
The wind shield around John not only boosted his speed but also lightened his weight and reduced the wind resistance.
What seemed an impossible distance became surmountable in an instant!
Mid-air, John's lips curled into a smirk, even daring to flip a middle finger back at Lucas.
"To hell with you!"
Lucas's eyes brimmed with venom, a blood-red spear rapidly forming in his hands.
He halted abruptly, his arm swinging in a fierce arc, launching the spear like a bolt of blood-red lightning towards John!
The next moment, Lucas's breath hitched.
John, mid-air, had no way to dodge his skill.
However, an ice-blue spear had somehow appeared in John's hands!
Lucas sensed trouble, but the blood spear he had launched couldn't be retracted.
As the blood spear neared John, the ice spear in John's hand was also thrown!
The blue and red spears, like two rainbows, collided precisely in mid-air.
"Boom!!"
The spears exploded, sending a massive shockwave rippling through the air.
Prepared, John adjusted his posture, allowing the shockwave to propel him further.
He drifted like a falling leaf towards the opposite building, landing steadily on a floor.
With the Zephyr Shield buffering him, he didn't sustain a single scratch!
Turning around, John waved at Lucas, his smug expression seemingly visible even from afar.
Watching the figure fade into the darkness, Lucas's teeth were nearly crushed in anger.
"You can't run forever, Black Robe!" Lucas's voice echoed through the night sky.
Inside the building on the other side, John couldn't help but curl his lip upon hearing Lucas's voice, muttering, "What a terrible name, sounds awful."
With that, he employed the stealth technique he'd used at the start, instantly concealing his presence before swiftly changing direction and making his escape.
This skill of hiding one's aura, learned from an old cripple in a retirement home who was apparently a former assassin, initially seemed merely intriguing to John, useful for assassinations.
But it wasn't until he tested it against Lucas that he realized its extraordinary nature, capable of even concealing the heartbeat.
"That limping old man might just be a master in disguise," John pondered, his eyes reflecting contemplation.
He resolved to have a thorough chat with the old man upon his return, possibly uncovering a grandmaster.
While contemplating, John navigated his path with intricate twists and turns, moving through the urban labyrinth with astonishing speed.
Before long, he had put a significant distance between himself and Lucas, successfully evading his pursuit.
John was uncertain about the skill Lucas had unleashed in his frenzy, but he sensed the immense threat Lucas posed at that moment.
Opting for caution over confrontation, he chose not to engage Lucas in a deadly fight.
This assassination attempt on Lucas served as a stark reminder to John of the formidable nature of individuals from prominent families, emphasizing the need for thorough preparation in future encounters.
Lost in these thoughts, John suddenly noticed a woman approaching from the opposite direction.
With her long ice-blue hair cascading down to her waist, her figure was graceful, her demeanor aloof— it was Seraphina.
Seraphina also caught sight of John, still clad in his black robe.
She visibly paused, taken aback.
She hadn't expected to encounter the assassin here.
Wasn't he being pursued by Lucas?
Had he escaped so quickly?
John internally cursed his luck.
He had intended to act unpredictably, assuming Lucas would think he had already left the dungeon and would start investigating everyone entering or leaving it.
John's plan was to blend in with others after a while, leaving no trace behind.
But unexpectedly, he ran into Seraphina here.
Fortunately, John had been cautious enough to keep his black robe on, avoiding immediate exposure.
Pretending not to notice Seraphina, John turned to leave in a different direction.
Watching him go, Seraphina felt an increasing sense of familiarity, especially when he had looked up at her.
Those eyes... she had seen them somewhere before...
Just as John was about to disappear from view, a scene from the day before flashed through Seraphina's mind.
She had locked eyes with John in the Awakening Square, and he had that same look in his eyes!
A tumultuous wave surged in Seraphina's heart.
Could the person who had assassinated Lucas, escaped with ease, and even forced the prodigy of House Carter to harm his own foundation be John?
Although she had always felt John was extraordinary and might rise to prominence in the future, she was still somewhat incredulous at the moment.
The disparity seemed too vast.
Hesitating, she decided to test the waters and called out, "John?"
In that instant, Seraphina distinctly felt the cloaked figure stiffen.
The movement was subtle, with no pause in his step, virtually imperceptible to anyone else.
But in that moment, Seraphina was utterly convinced—this person was indeed John!