Realm of Myths and Legends

"W-"

Crack! BOOOOOM!

The sound of a loud explosion rang out as an intense wave of heat flooded into the area and caused the earth to tremble violently.

Woosh! Woosh!

Jol'Kil and Zel'Kan positioned themselves in front of Izroth to defend against the powerful shockwave generated by that attack just now.

A few seconds later, the shockwave dispersed, and the flames dissipated.

As for Earl Tasarin—he was no longer anywhere to be seen as he had been instantly incinerated by the giant hand of flames!

"What powerful flames...!" Zel'Kan commented as a tinge of surprise found its way into her voice.

"Young master, are you alright?" Jol'Kil asked without adverting his gaze from the direction that the giant hand of flames originated.

"I'm fine. Also, you two can relax. They aren't our enemies." Izroth said as he removed his hand from the hilt of his sword.

He then commented, "I didn't know that you were the type to steal another's prey."

"Prey? You have quite the humor. How can a small fry like that possibly be worth your time?" A familiar voice sounded.

'I didn't expect to run into him here of all places.'

Zeeeeut!

Without warning, a young man appeared a few meters in front of Izroth in a cluster of flames.

"Besides, it can't really be considered as stealing your prey—since that guy ran away from one of the people under my command, after all." The young man said as the flames around him dispersed.

NPC Name: War Brigade 5th Unit Commander of the 21st Legion Lances Pride, The Hand of Flames(???)

NPC Level: ???

Lances is one of the individuals who participated in the second team's selection at the Sky Palace, along with Izroth and many others. He was also someone who managed to place seventh over more than one thousand skilled youths of the Mortal Realm.

'It looks like he hasn't been slacking off.'

When Izroth examined Lances with his Energy Vision Sense, he found that the aura around him had become extremely refined. Without a doubt, Izroth was certain that right after the second team's selection ended, Lances must have been hard at work training for the upcoming Lustrum Imperial Bout.

"That aside, it looks like great minds think alike." Lances said with a grin.

"It seems that way," Izroth replied in a carefree manner.

"How many troops did you bring with you?" Lances inquired as he sized up Jol'Kil and Zel'Kan, who now stood silently behind Izroth on each side.

"Including myself, 44—you?"

"About the same—45."

As Lances gave his response, a great commotion took place in the group of skounae in the direction Lances originally came from.

"Ahhhh!" One of the skounae cried out as they were ruthlessly cut down.

"Defend! There are more enemies behind us!" One of the Baron skounae in the area ordered.

Swoosh!

The next moment, the same Baron skounae who gave out the order to defend had their head sent flying with a curved sword that resembled a scimitar.

Then, in the blink of an eye, a large gap opened up in the skounae's formation as a surge of allied troops poured through. These troops were led by a middle-aged gentleman in combat robes. He had slightly curly black hair that went down to his lower neck and a pair of pitch-black eyes that seemed to lack any hint of emotion.

In his hand was a curved sword, and with every swing, an enemy skounae was slain without fail as he lead the charge towards the entrance of the Night Lord's Crypt.

At the same time, the skounae from the opposite side were closing in on Izroth and Lances' position.

"One moment." Lances said as he stepped forward.

Clap!

Lances clapped his hands together as a towering wall of blazing flames rose up from the earth, blocking off the path of the incoming skounae on the opposite side.