Trace's eyes adjusted to light of the basement. At the distance of about fifty meters, he saw three familiar figures. His master was sitting on the ground and ten meters away Deus Garcia held Khufu Azami by the collar. Trace called out to his master and ran towards him.

Deus Garcia pushed Khufu back when he heard Trace's voice. With furrowed brows he looked at Trace. Just when he finally grasped the edge of the top-secret case these little nuisances were spoiling his mood.

"I won't let you kidnap my master!" Trace stood in front of his master.

"Kidnap? I am arresting a terrorist", was the answer in a raised voice.

"Why does everyone have the same idea? Master is not a terrorist!", Trace refuted.

"You are crazy, let us go", Khufu said stepping back.

On the surface Deus Garcia looked like a calm and collected individual. But how could people who work in the terrorist department be simple characters. Since his words and patience were not accepted by these brats, he was getting annoyed.

Khufu saw Deus Garcia look at him and the next moment Deus had closed the distance. Crackling pain entered Khufu's body from the abdomen and spread throughout the body. Deus was done with his act of a gentleman. He was going to beat these brats to a pulp.

"Insects should know their place", only Deus' cold voice existed at this moment.

Khufu was down on his knees with trembling hands that grabbing the stomach. It looked like he was coughing but no sound came out. Soon his sweating head touched the ground a light thud. Shivering spread throughout his whole body and fluids came out of his eyes, nose and mouth.

Khufu's safety was indeed important for Deus because of the needle. However, even a barely alive Khufu would suffice. Moreover, it was not guaranteed that Khufu's death would affect the needle.

"It's your turn now", Deus Garcia turned his head towards Trace.

Up to this point, the fortune teller had not uttered a single word. He got up and patted his apprentice's clothes. The look on his eyes could not be determined but a gentle smile was plastered on his face.

Trace looked at his master and saw a nod of approval. Under his master's care he did not face any hardships. There was nothing Trace lacked, all because of his master. Before Trace received the talisman boxes he was not allowed to go to certain places in the city. It is my turn to protect master, he said in his mind.

"You might be on the same level and sequence as me but the different between our abilities is nights apart", Deus slowly started walking towards Trace.

"Are you not running?" he added after a moment.

This time he was going to pour more strength into his punch. When he saw Trace frozen in place, Deus' lips curled up. Maybe I will hold back a little, he mused to himself. His opponent was only a kid after all.

Deus' movements were slow until he threw the punch. He was looking straight into Trace's eyes wanting to see the chance in expression after moment of contact. A mischievous smile escaped his face when a sudden thought of Destthine popped up in his mind.

Deus' punch landed on Trace's belly but his own expressions turned ugly. A scream escaped his mouth and his breathing increased. His hand had met with a rebound force and started shivering uncontrollably. This shivering further escalated the pain and he stepped backward.

Impossible! He did not see Trace move so how could this happen. Deus Garcia closed his eyes to hide the tears. His whole body was turning red as he rapidly cycled mana to inspect his arm. To his horror all bone of his right hand were broken. When he opened his eyes, he saw a blue card was glued to his fist!

"I will kill you! I will kill you! You are dead", he screamed in a shrill voice.

Deus Garcia was a Brawler, despite his current state his body was stronger than other Level 2 Sorcerers. He was adapt in close combat and could easily crush down his opponents. If he was directing mana into his fists the talisman wouldn't have inflicted much damage.

But why would he need to direct extra mana to protect himself when his opponent was a kid frozen in place. He could accept such a result! His right arm was useless now, additionally the pain was making his mind go crazy.

Trace patted his clothes. This experience was making his mind dizzy. He had activated the talismans with full strength and released the thrust just as he saw Deus move his hand. Lucky, for him that Deus's fist targeted the exact spot as Khufu.

"Maintain your distance", Trace heard his master whisper to him.

A yell escaped Trace's mouth when he saw Deus walk towards him. Trace stared to walk backwards. It was the scariest day of his life! When he saw Deus jog, Trace also jogged backward.

Deus face was distorted, it was already difficult for him to walk. But he still decided to support his right hand with the left and jog. With physical pain, he was experiencing mental torture. The brat was only four meters away from him, but he could not close the gap.

Despite being enraged Deus stopped but at the same time Trace also stopped. His anger fumed and a loud yell escaped his mouth. Today he was going to kill this brat! Never had he been humiliated as such.

"You are useless, I will kill you!"

Deus thought of how Destthine gave him the scroll and asked him to dispose of Mr. Tomi. After giving out all the info, Mr. Tomi was useless. Deus also saw Trace in the same light now – a person that could not help further, a burden when left alive, useless.

"You can't help me with any case, you even humiliated him. There is no reason for me to keep you alive".

Deus growled while taking out a dagger from his pocket. He saw Trace frantically taking out two boxes, but he ignored them. Instead, he was more focused on his left hand. Even if the left was not his dominant hand, nailing a big target at such a close distance was still possible.

For a moment Deus closed his eyes. His breathing was regulated, and his posture was straight when he opened his eyes. Mana was channeling inside the dagger within his left hand. But before he could throw the dagger his pupils dilated!

A card spinning in the air was travelling towards him. Suddenly, he remembered about the blue card from earlier and a sense of crises filled him. Instead of throwing the dagger towards Trace, he aimed at the card and jumped backwards.

This time he was channeling his mana towards his right hand crazily to form a defensive layer. If more damage was done, then healing would be impossible. Just as the dagger touched the card, an explosion occurred! Dues being a meter away was pushed farther like a rag doll.

...

At the lone alley, signs of battle were plastered on the surrounding walls. Klavior stood there emotionlessly but waves of shock were churning inside his heart. Even after a few rounds of sparing, he was unable to harm the woman.

Another cigarette was lit, a big puff was taken in before the woman closed on to Klavior. She threw the cigarette to the side before throwing a punch. This time Klavior did not dodge instead took a swing on the woman's forearm. It disbalanced the woman as her hand was pushed towards the side but taking advantage of the momentum, she spun backward to land a wheel kick.

Klavior saw the woman's long leg aiming for his head, he immediately put up both his hands to guard. Before Klavior could push the woman's leg back, the woman exhaled the smoke of cigarette she was holding in her lungs.

Cough cough, Klavior immediately retreated. Klavior eyes squinted and he channeled mana into his dagger. And rushed out aiming for the woman's neck. His movements were swifter than before. When it seemed, the woman would've avoided the attack, Klavior activated the dagger shaped talisman.

The hoodie was cut, and blood gushed out of the woman's neck. At crucial moment the length of the dagger increased, injuring the woman. Now the little dagger was a long knife in Klavior's hands. The woman pressed her hand on the wound, retreating backwards.

She felt an itchy sensation from her neck and a sense of weakness washed over her body. But she was still smiling looking towards Klavio. The same wobbly feeling was felt by Klavior, but instead of smiling like the woman he forcefully coughed.

But momentarily it was clear who took more damage. Klavior had carried out the fight expending minimum resources. He took out a small glass tube from his talisman holder. It contained a green-colored liquid, he held it for the woman to see.

"You can still live if you cooperate". Klavior said.

Result of the fight was set before it even began. The biggest difference between Level 2 and Level 3 Sorcerers was that the later could replenish their own mana with natural mana. Throughout the fight, both parties had expended their mana to put up Mana Barriers.

Mana Barriers were created by forceful channeling of mana from the ring to form a thick layer of mana around muscles and internal organs. It protected one's body heavily, but the cost was mana. The time taken by Level 2 Sorcerers to replenish mana ranged from a day to weeks.

A Level 3 Sorcerer could replenish his mana anytime by taking in natural mana. Further, both the quality and quantity of mana of Level 3 was superior to Level 2. It was impossible for Level 3 Sorcerers to lose to Level 2s in an extended fight.

The woman took out another cigarette and lit it up. Looking at it clearly, this one was a little different the one she last smoked. Klavior smiled hoping things would work out but suddenly he sensed a change in natural mana around the woman. A nagging feeling filled him and fear of the unknown built up.

Klavior rushed to the woman and threw a punch as her face. Before the punch landed, Klavior's fist started shining. The light outshined the beautiful smile on the woman's face. Her body was sent flying and crashed into a wall.

The body of the woman did not leave Klavior's vision. He walked closer to the body and removed the glove from the woman's hand. To his horror, he saw the woman's skin crawling inwards. Klavior threw the glove and jumped backwards.

Being a Level 3 Sorcerer, he could sense natural mana acting bizarrely around the woman's body. It seemed like the woman's body was forcefully pulling the natural mana inwards. Under his watchful gaze, the woman's body suddenly exploded!

...

Level 3 - first contact with natural mana (Mana of the Nature).