The instant the shield shattered, Maxwell felt death rush toward him.

Not danger.

Not pressure.

Death.

A crimson flash appeared directly before his throat.

Too fast.

Far too fast.

His newly sharpened senses barely managed to follow it.

The dagger carried no sound at all as it pierced through the darkness toward his neck. Even the surrounding air did not react properly. It was like the attack itself did not belong to the world around him.

Maxwell’s pupils shrank violently.

His body moved instinctively.

He twisted sideways desperately while forcing dragon mana across his skin.

Clang!!!

The crimson dagger scraped across his scaled neck.

Blood exploded outward.

Pain erupted instantly.

Maxwell stumbled backward heavily.

The old master shouted.

"Do not stop moving!"

Another crimson flash appeared immediately afterward.

Tak!

A second dagger flew toward Maxwell’s eye.

He barely tilted his head in time.

The dagger brushed past his face and buried itself into the ground behind him with terrifying force.

Boom!!!

The earth exploded violently.

Maxwell’s heart pounded wildly.

Too dangerous...

This woman is too dangerous...

Then suddenly—

The killing intent vanished again.

Just like before.

Completely.

The darkness swallowed everything once more.

The assassin disappeared.

No footsteps.

No mana ripple.

Nothing.

Only endless black smoke remained surrounding the battlefield.

Maxwell’s breathing became ragged.

Blood continued dripping slowly from his neck wound.

Meanwhile the old master immediately floated before him again despite his unstable spiritual form.

"Now!"

Maxwell looked at him quickly.

"Master—"

"Activate it now!"

The old man’s voice thundered furiously.

"Do not be distracted!"

Another dagger suddenly emerged from the darkness.

Tak!!!

The old master immediately raised one hand.

Golden dragon mana exploded outward and barely knocked the dagger away.

Even then—

His spiritual body flickered violently afterward.

He was nearing his limit.

Maxwell immediately clenched his fists.

His breathing became rough again.

Teleportation...

Right... the teleportation spell...

The old master immediately spoke again after noticing Maxwell’s hesitation.

"You finally stabilized your senses."

Another crimson dagger emerged from the darkness.

Tak!!!

The old master blocked it again.

"But if you hesitate now, you will die."

Maxwell’s jaw tightened.

The old man stared directly into his eyes.

"Focus."

The surrounding darkness churned endlessly.

Tak!

Another dagger came.

Tak!

Another.

The old master continuously intercepted the attacks while his body became increasingly transparent.

Maxwell inhaled deeply.

Then slowly—

He lowered himself into a kneeling position.

Golden dragon mana immediately erupted around him.

Boom!!!

The ground beneath him cracked violently.

Ancient draconic symbols began spreading outward across the earth.

The old master immediately nodded.

"Yes."

Maxwell closed his eyes.

The teleportation spell.

A forbidden escape technique from the higher Mana Dimension.

One of the hardest draconic arts to master.

Normally impossible for him to cast properly under pressure.

But now—

He had no choice.

The old master continued defending him desperately while speaking nonstop.

"Do not think about the assassin."

Tak!!!

"Do not think about fear."

Tak!!!

"Do not think about pain."

Tak!!!

"Focus only on the spell."

Golden mana rapidly gathered around Maxwell’s body.

More draconic symbols appeared beneath him.

Complex.

Ancient.

Endless.

The air itself began vibrating from the pressure.

Meanwhile—

Inside the darkness—

Crimson eyes silently watched.

Waiting.

The old master’s expression worsened.

"She knows what you are doing."

Maxwell’s concentration nearly broke.

"What?!"

"Do not panic!"

Tak!!!

Three daggers flew from different directions instantly.

The old master blocked two.

The third pierced through his shoulder.

Rip!!!

His spiritual body distorted violently.

Golden particles scattered everywhere.

Maxwell’s eyes widened completely.

"MASTER!"

The old man roared furiously.

"FOCUS!"

His voice exploded across the battlefield like thunder.

Maxwell’s body trembled.

Then slowly—

He forced himself to calm down again.

The teleportation symbols beneath him grew brighter.

More draconic runes appeared around his body now, rotating slowly in circles.

The old master exhaled heavily.

"Yes..."

Another dagger struck him.

Rip!!!

A deep wound appeared across his spiritual chest.

His body nearly collapsed.

Yet still—

He stood firm.

The old master glared into the darkness.

"You will not kill him today."

Silence answered him.

Then suddenly—

The darkness exploded.

Boom!!!

Dozens of crimson daggers emerged simultaneously from every direction.

The old master’s expression changed instantly.

Too many.

Far too many.

Golden dragon mana erupted violently from his body.

Boom!!!

A circular wave of light exploded outward while he desperately blocked the incoming attacks.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Explosions erupted nonstop around Maxwell.

The ground shattered repeatedly.

Dust and smoke exploded everywhere.

The old master’s body flickered more violently after every blocked attack.

Meanwhile Maxwell continued chanting internally.

Ancient draconic words echoed inside his mind.

The teleportation spell beneath him grew larger and larger.

Golden symbols spread farther across the battlefield.

The air itself distorted now.

The old master immediately noticed it.

"It is working..."

Maxwell’s breathing became heavier.

Sweat poured down his face.

The mana consumption was enormous.

Even with his dragon transformation, his body struggled to keep up.

Then—

A terrifying feeling suddenly crawled across his spine.

Danger.

Maxwell’s eyes widened instantly.

Without even opening his eyes—

He moved his head sideways.

Tak!!!

A crimson dagger passed directly beside his cheek.

A strand of hair drifted downward.

Maxwell’s heart nearly exploded from fear.

The old master shouted again.

"Good!"

"Do not stop!"

Maxwell gritted his teeth harder.

The teleportation formation beneath him finally began spinning.

Golden draconic light erupted upward toward the sky.

Boom!!!

The darkness around them trembled violently.

Even the black smoke distorted slightly from the power.

Meanwhile—

Far within the darkness—

Cerys’ hidden gaze narrowed slightly.

The old master immediately sensed her movement.

"She is preparing something bigger."

Maxwell’s face paled.

"What bigger?!"

The old master’s expression became grim.

"I do not know."

That answer terrified Maxwell even more.

Another wave of daggers erupted from the darkness.

This time faster.

Deadlier.

The old master desperately blocked them while his body rapidly destabilized further.

His spiritual arms became transparent now.

His lower body flickered endlessly.

Even his face looked ghostlike.

Yet despite everything—

He still protected Maxwell.

The old man suddenly laughed weakly.

"You finally succeeded at something difficult."

Maxwell’s eyes trembled slightly.

"Master..."

The old man smiled faintly.

"Do not waste it."

Then suddenly—

Boom!!!

The teleportation formation beneath Maxwell fully activated.

Ancient dragon symbols exploded upward in massive golden pillars of light.

The surrounding air distorted violently.

Space itself began twisting.

Maxwell’s eyes widened completely.

The spell—

Activated.

Actually activated.

Joy exploded inside him instantly.

"I DID IT!"

For the first time since the battle began—

Hope appeared across his face.

And then—

From the darkness ahead—

Something terrifying moved.

The golden teleportation formation beneath Maxwell continued spinning violently.

Ancient draconic symbols rotated around him faster and faster while enormous streams of mana erupted upward into the sky like pillars connecting heaven and earth. The surrounding darkness twisted unnaturally from the pressure.

Yet despite the successful activation—

The danger did not lessen.

If anything—

It became worse.

Because the assassin hidden within the darkness clearly understood what was happening now.

Maxwell could feel it.

The killing intent surrounding him intensified dramatically.

Not chaotic.

Not enraged.

Cold.

Precise.

Determined.

The old master immediately noticed it too.

"She is going to forcefully interrupt the teleportation."

His expression became grim.

"Do not lose focus now."

Maxwell nodded heavily while maintaining the spell.

Sweat poured endlessly from his face.

The mana consumption was overwhelming.

Even with his dragon transformation active, his body was nearing its limit. Veins bulged across his arms while golden dragon mana continuously escaped from his skin uncontrollably.

Meanwhile—

The darkness exploded once more.

Tak! Tak! Tak! Tak!

Crimson daggers erupted endlessly from every direction.

The old master instantly moved.

Boom!!!

Golden dragon mana burst outward around him while he desperately intercepted the incoming attacks one after another.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Every collision shook the battlefield violently.

The old man’s spiritual body flickered harder after every blocked dagger.

Maxwell’s eyes trembled slightly after seeing it.

Because his master no longer looked stable at all.

Large portions of his spiritual body had already become transparent.

Even the golden light surrounding him weakened considerably.

Yet despite everything—

The old man still continued defending him without hesitation.

"Focus!"

His voice thundered again.

"Do not look at me!"

Maxwell immediately clenched his teeth.

Then he forced himself to stare at the teleportation formation again.

The spinning draconic symbols continued accelerating.

The surrounding space began cracking faintly now.

The spell was nearing completion.

Just a little longer.

Meanwhile—

Within the darkness—

Something moved.

Fast.

Far faster than before.

The old master’s eyes widened instantly.

"There!"

Boom!!!

A massive wave of darkness exploded directly toward Maxwell.

Not daggers this time.

A human figure.

Cerys finally attacked personally.

Her body emerged from the black smoke like a shadow tearing through reality itself. Crimson daggers rotated around her while black smoke exploded outward from her movements.

Maxwell’s face turned pale instantly.

Too fast.

She was far too fast.

The old master roared furiously.

"Not happening!"

Boom!!!

Golden dragon mana erupted violently from his body as he rushed forward to intercept her.

The two collided instantly.

Clang!!!

A deafening shockwave exploded across the battlefield.

The surrounding earth shattered apart violently.

The old master blocked her crimson daggers with his bare spiritual hands while golden dragon energy exploded endlessly around him.

Yet—

Cerys did not stop.

She continued attacking relentlessly.

One dagger.

Two.

Three.

Ten.

Countless crimson flashes exploded around the old master nonstop.

The old man desperately defended while being pushed backward continuously.

His spiritual body rapidly destabilized further.

Rip!!!

One dagger pierced through his arm.

Rip!!!

Another tore through his shoulder.

Golden spiritual particles scattered endlessly into the darkness.

Still—

He continued fighting.

Maxwell’s breathing became rougher.

"Master!"

"FOCUS!"

The old man shouted again without even turning around.

"THE SPELL IS NOT COMPLETE YET!"

Maxwell immediately shut his mouth.

Then desperately—

He poured even more mana into the teleportation formation.

Boom!!!

The draconic symbols expanded rapidly.

Space twisted harder now.

A massive golden circle fully surrounded Maxwell’s body.

The teleportation was almost complete.

Meanwhile the old master continued blocking Cerys desperately.

His movements gradually slowed.

Not because he lacked skill.

But because his spiritual form was collapsing.

Even so—

He still smiled faintly while fighting.

"How troublesome..."

Clang!!!

Another crimson dagger pierced directly through his chest.

His body flickered violently afterward.

Maxwell’s pupils shrank.

The old master staggered slightly for the first time.

Cerys immediately moved again.

Boom!!!

She disappeared into the darkness once more.

Then—

Dozens of crimson daggers erupted toward Maxwell simultaneously.

The old master immediately appeared before him again.

Boom!!!

Golden dragon mana exploded outward desperately.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

He blocked nearly all of them.

Nearly.

Rip!!!

One crimson dagger sliced deeply across his neck.

His spiritual body nearly split apart.

Maxwell’s face completely changed.

"MASTER!"

The old man coughed weakly.

Golden particles drifted from his mouth like fading embers.

Still—

He stood.

Still—

He protected Maxwell.

The old master slowly turned his head slightly.

His expression had already become calm now.

Too calm.

"You succeeded."

Maxwell’s breathing stopped briefly.

Because the teleportation formation beneath him had fully stabilized.

The spell—

Was complete.

The surrounding space distorted violently around Maxwell’s body while golden draconic light swallowed him completely.

Escape.

He finally had a way out.

Relief instantly surged through Maxwell.

But then—

He looked at his master again.

And his heart sank.

The old man’s spiritual body had become nearly transparent now.

His lower half was already fading away entirely.

Even his face no longer appeared fully solid.

The old master noticed Maxwell staring.

Then slowly—

He smiled.

A tired smile.

"How unexpected..."

His voice sounded weaker now.

Softer.

Maxwell’s fists trembled.

"No..."

The old man chuckled faintly.

"You actually survived."

Another violent tremor spread across the battlefield as the teleportation formation activated fully.

Space cracked around Maxwell.

The pull of teleportation had already begun.

The old master slowly turned away from him and faced the darkness again.

His fading spiritual body stood alone before the unseen assassin.

Then—

Without turning back—

He spoke calmly.

"Go now."

Maxwell’s eyes widened.

"Master..."

The old man’s smile remained.

"Leave me alone."