Chapter 255: The World’s Enemy (1)

Rise had many questions, but those could wait. They needed to escape here first. If he could still wield his abilities, then he would be a great help to Thalia, but now, he was only a burden.

He was not naive enough that they could escape that easily. Thalia managed to enter the house, but leaving would not be that easy. The guards were not the most troublesome ones.

If Rise only had these espers guarding him, then he already managed to sneak out long ago. He could not wield his abilities, but that did not mean his reflexes and senses left him too.

There was someone here who only focused his senses on any abnormalities around his vicinity, even risking losing sleep or rest.

"Be ready to fight," Rise solemnly reminded Thalia. Although he already knew, the other also knew. Thalia nodded at him, expression equally solemn.

In terms of mana capacity, Thalia was stronger than Mitchel. Over a long duration, she would undoubtedly win. However, this situation was not one of those casual duels between guild leaders.

In frontal combat, who was stronger between the two was obvious to all. It was especially so that Thalia needed to protect Rise during the fight and then reserve some to escape this place.

Rise bit his lips. His hands clenched and he felt the mana inside him. His eyes flickered slightly, but then he sighed inwardly. As expected, his recovery was far enough.

He lifted his gaze and exchanged gazes with Thalia; the two nodded to each other. Rise then stepped back and allowed Thalia to shield him from the rushing mad dog.

Sure enough. The traitor easily disregarded anything and smashed the door open. His bloodshot eyes swept to the two before landing automatically at Rise.

"Are you... leaving?" he asked.

Thalia glared at him and stood before Rise to shield his view. Of course, it was no use since Rise was taller than her. It was still A for effort; Mitchel noticed the gesture and glanced at her.

His eyes flashed with anger.

"Are you here under that noble’s commands?"

Rise’s lips twitched slightly, and he looked at Thalia. He did not know if she knew of Kamille’s origins. Thalia’s expression did not change much.

"Is it any of your business who sent me here?" Her lips arched into an elegant smirk. However, her gaze turned sharper, preparing to attack or counterattack anytime.

Mitchel’s frown deepened. His gaze landed on Rise behind Thalia. Rise could discern most of the emotions that flashed in his eyes. Most of it was one he had grown used to when he stayed in this place.

The pleading to understand the arrangement and to not leave.

Of course, he could see it, and he understood most of it. Yet, he did not care. He should not be in this place. If anyone was deserving to give him any arrangements for his life, Mitchel was definitely not one of them.

"I never ask you to protect me." This might be the calmest tone Rise had used against Mitchel since he was captured.

There was a tiny hope in his heart that hoping... Mitchel would let him go. That there was no need for a fight here. Both Mitchel and Thalia were evenly matched, and with Thalia having him as a burden, the chances of winning had decreased further.

Not to mention that this was a place that should be under the author’s authority. They needed to leave as soon as possible.

Their gazes met. Rise was not as aggressive. He was genuinely conveying his deepest desire at the moment. To leave. Even with the grievances of being betrayed, for the first time, he was setting them aside.

For a moment, Rise thought that he had managed to make it clear to the other. Mitchel showed signs of wavering; his pupils shook with emotions.

Rise’s heart seemed to stop, waiting for his decision. The few seconds that passed were almost similar to when he was caught by Epsilon before he died.

He had never felt so powerless and miserable.

And when Mitchel’s eyes turned bloodshot and he suddenly closed his eyes in difficulty, murmuring to himself. Rise’s heart sank to the lowest.

It was inevitable. That tiny hope he had was shattered. And he knew the relationship he had with Mitchel could never be mended. They stood at different lines from this point on.

"No..." Mitchel shook his head and grasped it in his hands, roaring in pain. Rise’s mind was not in a mood to comprehend what he was saying.

Rise looked at Thalia and nodded his head, a signal. His chest tightened from disappointment, but his mind had never been clear. There was no need to wait for Mitchel to recover this.

Maybe it was a blessing in disguise? That a small part of him was indecisive. Rise knew it would not be for long, and Mitchel would stop them from leaving no matter the cost.

Rise took a deep breath and stepped forward. There was no need for words. He was not giving a farewell either. He looked down at Mitchel, who was still being held down by his mind and the raging chaotic mana around him.

He lifted his hand, just as Mitchel looked up at him. His bloodshot eyes filled with unwillingness met Rise’s indifference once. Mitchel opened his mouth to say something, but before he could do so, Rise’s hand, strengthened by a small amount of mana he had managed to recover, struck his neck.

Mitchel directly fainted.

Normally, that weak attack could not even penetrate Mitchel’s mana barrier, but with his condition and being in an unguarded state, it was enough.

It was not life-threatening, but it works for now. At least, giving Rise and Thalia room to escape this house.

Thalia looked down at Mitchel, a whip vine already in her hand.

"Should we kill him?" They had some friendship, but with what he did, Thalia would not hesitate to kill him. As long as Rise said so.

Rise glanced at Mitchel for a few seconds before he looked away.

"No. We will alert that being if we kill him." Rise’s words were true. He was only thinking of their situation at the moment.

His eyes were still solemn; a bad premonition already crept into his heart. "Thalia... you need to conserve strength as much as possible. This is just the beginning."

Escaping this house seemed simple, and it was rather anticlimactic. However, the real escape game had just begun.