Life didn't get easier, even in another world.

SWOSH

As soon as Kairen's energy beams hit the soil wall, deputy team leader Bray rushed towards the man. She held her greatsword with both hands and raised it to the air, slashing down before she was even close to the man. 

She wasn't using any aura, but the impact of her attack somehow moved towards the man. It was as if the part of the sword which was used to attack was separated from the rest and teleported, appearing right where the man's neck was.

BANG

Despite seeing a strong attack coming his way, the man remained calm. 

He stood there and glanced at Kain once again, before elegantly lowering his head.

BAAAANGGG

The deputy team leader's attack passed his head with a hair's breadth and hit the ground, shattering it to pieces.

The man mumbled something under his lips while raising his head again.

"Adjusting your attack with manipulating time... I see."

"...."

The deputy team leader flinched and hurriedly moved back. Small thorns of soil shot up from the ground and attacked her at the same time.

"This-"

She raised her sword and used it as a shield, blocking most of the thorns and dodging some. Still, she wasn't able to block all of them as some left small scars on his arms.

'He is experienced!'

She could tell that the man was quite an expert judging by his reactions.

He used both defense and offense at the same time without much difficulty. Most attribute users find it hard to deal with their element this skillfully.

BANNGGG

She heard a loud sound at that moment.

She jerked her head towards the source of the sound. 

There, she could see Serria's sword and the man's spear blocking each other. 

Behind them was a shield that was covering Kain to keep him, who was still near the man, away from danger.

The man was blocking Serria with one hand as if her attack wasn't strong enough to even shake him, while Serria's hand trembled as she pressed the sword against the spear.

A light shone for a moment on the right side of the two people before Kairen's spell was completed. 

A bolt of golden lightning, a mixed light attribute attack, was sent to the man.

Serria jumped back as soon as she saw the bolt of lightning. 

The symbols all around her body shone before a large number of magical attacks poured down on the man. 

SSHHHH

And a huge droplet of water exploded right on top of him at the same time, washing away the soil in a small area around him.

BANNGG

A loud sound rang out as all of the attacks hit the same place at the same time and dust rose to the air.

"Hah!"

Serria took a deep breath and walked closer to Kain.

"Are you fine?"

Kairen also walked to him and grabbed Kain's hand, helping him up. 

"Yeah."

Kain got up with his help and also stared at the pile of dust.

Then, they heard a voice.

Tap Tap Tap Tap 

"You know, there would be no need for all of this if you had accepted my offer..."

Kain flinched after hearing those words. He could see someone walking out of the dust while talking.

"Do you have trust problems or something? Sigh!"

The ground was shattered to pieces as some strong spells had hit it and it was muddy due to the water.

Tap Tap Tap Tap

But the man was walking out of that mess completely unscathed. There wasn't even a singly droplet of water on his clothes, nor were they torn somewhere. 

The four people and the man stood face to face.

He glared at the four agents that were standing in front of him for a moment, before turning his head and looking around.

The others were also fighting. 

He could see that most of the members belonging to his side were taken care of. He could also see other agents coming their way. 

He would be surrounded by a bunch of SFB agents soon.

Did he have to continue fighting?

Why was he fighting any way they were going to lose at the end.

He followed The Fifth's order, but that didn't mean he enjoyed the situation.

He was angry a moment ago because of the water dude's behavior, but he felt really refreshed after punching him.

Yeah.

He didn't feel like fighting at all.

The man took a deep breath and let go of the spear in his hand. The spear lost shape and turned to soil.

"Forget it."

He said that and turned around, completely ignoring the four people and walking back.

"...."

"...."

He didn't even look back.

"Don't let him run away!"

Deputy team leader Bray sprinted as soon as she shouted that. Just like always, she sent a sword slash towards the man, but unlike before, she vanished right when she was done moving her sword and reappeared right in front of the man.

BANNGG

The first attack collided with a soil barrier and the second one was blocked by a spear that appeared out of nowhere once again.

"Tch!"

The deputy team leader clicked her tongue and jumped back again. 

"Um... Guys..."

The man couldn't talk as another attack was coming his way.

BANNNNGGG

With a loud sound, a bolt of golden lightning hit the soil barrier, but again, there was no damage.

'Are you kidding me? How strong can a soil barrier be?'

It was soil! Just soil! Why didn't it take any damage?!

BANNNGG BANNG BANNGGG

Kairen kept on attacking the barrier even though there weren't any results. 

Once again, Serria ran towards the man. She kicked the ground and jumped up, raised her sword in the air, and cast a spell at the same time.

"Bind!"

Invisible chains shot out of the ground and wrapped around the man's body, preventing him from moving his hands and feet.

"AAAHH!"

With a loud yell, she moved her sword, aiming to pierce the man's shoulder.

BOMM

"Agh!"

Clang

But instead, she was the one who got hit. 

She was smashed with a huge amount of condensed soil.

Serria's sword slipped her hands and her body fell down to the ground.

"Serria!"

Kairen ran towards his friend who plopped down on the while grabbing her shoulder.

Kairen saw it clearly.

Before she could strike the man, she was hit with a condensed pile of soil that took shape in less than a second.

"Don't get closer!"

Kairen stopped moving after hearing Kain. 

He was right. Kairen, a mage, shouldn't get close to the enemy and has to stand back.

But...

'She is right in front of him.'

Serria was defenselessly sitting on the ground just a few inches away from their enemy. 

She would get killed at this rate.

"...."

'Isn't there anything I can do...'

Kairen looked around in hopes of finding a way. 

The deputy team leader couldn't attack recklessly as Serrai was right in front of the man. Kain also didn't have much power left so it would be hard for him to control his attacks not to hit Serria. 

Kairen didn't have much mana left after what he did to block the explosion. He could still create a shield, but would his shield be able to block the man?

And other than themselves, all he could see was some people busy fighting, a half-destroyed building, shattered land, and some bodies lying on the ground.

He turned towards the man again. 

Surprisingly though, the man wasn't attacking Serria. 

He was just standing there without moving.

'What does he want to do now?'

Why was he just standing there?

While Kairen was busy contemplating, the man suddenly turned away and resumed walking towards the building.

"...."

"...."

He left Serria behind as if he didn't care and just walked away.

'He is leaving like that?'

Kairen watched the man leave without caring about the agent that he couldn've killed easily.

He was then reminded of the man's words.

'He said there was no need to do this....?'

This?

What was 'This?'

Is it possible that he meant 'Fighting?'

Does that mean he didn't want to fight them? 

Why? 

Kairen remembered another thing that the man just said when they called him a member of Philomns.

-You are mistaken, guys. Let's calm down, I'm not-

And he was talking with a freindly and warm tone too.

He wasn't Philoms?

Then what?

That was then that his eyes caught on something.

"...."

Kairen could see someone standing where the man was walking to. 

He could see a girl not too far away from them. 

"...."

Kairen blinked his eyes and looked again.

'Huh?'

No matter how much he looked, that still was the same face. 

It was a face that he knew well.

He had been dealing with that face so much recently that he was starting to see her even in his dreams... As a murderer, that is.

Kairen opened his mouth and said the name in his mind out loud.

"Claire Raid?"

Flinch

The girl flinched upon hearing that name.

'It is really her? Wait... Soil?'

Kairen jerked his head and looked at the man that had stopped walking after hearing him call that name and was looking at Kairen.

Soil!

That man could move soil!

The thieve also moved soil?

'What the hell!'

What was going on here?

No. Not that. 

How couldn't he notice this earlier?

He had been searching for a person who had an earth-related power, but he didn't notice that he was fighting with the one he was looking for?

He felt embarrassed.

Kairen raised his hand and pointed at the two of them. He raised his voice and talked loud enough for the deputy team leader and the others to hear.

"The thieves?! The mascry thieves?!"