Firefly quietly gazed at the ruins, her slender hand lightly tapping her chin. Her voice was calm, yet methodical.
"If the culprit intended to cover their tracks, there are two possibilities—either they're still lingering nearby, or..."
"Or they never planned on running away from the start."
Silver Wolf lazily interjected, one hand resting on her hip. Her languid eyes accurately locked onto a patch of woods diagonally behind them.
Firefly's gaze shifted almost in sync with Silver Wolf's, landing precisely on the same location.
Liu Xiyue, who wasn't particularly skilled in perception, froze for a moment before quickly turning her head to follow their line of sight. Her fiery red eyes were filled with scrutiny, clearly understanding what the two of them meant.
Liu Xiyue narrowed her eyes and stared for quite a while, yet she still failed to detect even the slightest trace of the culprit.
However, perhaps because the trio's gazes were too direct and piercing, the presence hidden within the shadows finally gave up on concealing itself.
Accompanied by faint footsteps, three figures slowly emerged from the darkness, eyeing them warily. It was obvious they had come with hostile intentions.
Silver Wolf rested both hands behind her head and casually remarked, "Yo, the enemies have respawned."
She glanced at Firefly and Liu Xiyue beside her.
"So? Why don't you two discuss who wants to start the team fight first?"
The moment Silver Wolf finished speaking, Liu Xiyue could no longer suppress her rage. Crimson flames instantly erupted around her as she transformed into a blazing fireball, charging straight at the enemies with a whoosh.
"How dare you blow up my home! Let's see if this lady doesn't burn you bastards to ashes!"
Boom!
Flames shot into the sky once more, and a scorching shockwave swept across the surroundings.
Under Liu Xiyue's explosive assault, the three opponents were instantly scattered.
"Where do you think you're going?!"
Liu Xiyue let out a sharp cry, her fiery crimson hair dancing wildly within the blazing heatwave.
She raised her delicate hand, and searing spiritual energy rapidly condensed in her palm like molten lava, forming a pulsing crimson fireball.
In the next instant, the seemingly delicate Little Loli transformed into a human turret. Flames surged around her as countless fireballs whistled from her palm, bombarding the three fleeing enemies like a torrential downpour.
For a time, crimson fireballs filled the skies above the ruins. Wherever they passed, rubble exploded and gravel flew in every direction.
Silver Wolf raised an eyebrow, unable to stop herself from clicking her tongue in admiration.
"Not bad. This girl was hiding it well. Who would've thought she'd be this fierce when she got angry?"
"I'm not sure," Firefly replied, shaking her head as she calmly watched the battle unfold.
The two remained standing where they were, quietly watching Liu Xiyue's fiery "performance" as though enjoying a spectacular fireworks display.
Suddenly, both Silver Wolf and Firefly raised an eyebrow, clearly sensing a change on the battlefield.
"I'll go help," Firefly said first.
Before her words had fully faded, her figure had already shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, her skirt fluttering behind her.
Seeing this, Silver Wolf helplessly lowered her hands from behind her head. A pale blue stream of data instantly gathered in her hand, taking the form of Prometheus.
At that moment, Liu Xiyue continued venting her fury, her face filled with anger as blazing fireballs continuously shot from her palms.
The three fleeing opponents had also begun using their trump cards. Otherwise, they would've already been blasted to pieces long ago.
However, seeing that their opponent's barrage showed no signs of slowing—in fact, it was only growing fiercer—the three couldn't help but begin questioning their lives.
"Let's see where you hide now!"
Liu Xiyue held her palms facing each other as scorching spiritual energy churned between them like molten lava. She was clearly preparing to unleash a serious attack.
But just then, her brow suddenly furrowed as she sensed a sharp surge of spiritual energy erupting from behind her.
Two figures abruptly lunged out from the darkness, joining the battlefield with Liu Xiyue as their target.
Their movements were swift and coordinated, clearly planned in advance to ambush her while she was charging her attack.
Just as Liu Xiyue gritted her teeth and prepared to deal with the sudden ambush, a graceful figure burst out diagonally behind her like a bolt of lightning.
Firefly moved as lightly as a swallow, tracing a sharp arc through the air before delivering a powerful flying kick squarely into one of the men's chests.
The man let out a muffled groan as he was sent flying backward like a tattered sack.
As for the other attacker, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. He instinctively turned sideways and raised a hand, simultaneously mobilizing the spiritual energy within his body.
In the next moment, a particle shell wrapped in colorful flowing light whistled through the air and accurately slammed into his chest.
Thud!
The tremendous impact instantly blasted him away.
Everything had happened within the span of a single breath, so quickly that no one had time to react.
Liu Xiyue's fiery red eyes widened as she stared at the sudden reversal in astonishment.
She didn't waste time dwelling on it. Pushing off the ground, she swiftly retreated several steps before landing steadily beside Firefly, who had already touched down gracefully.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with her, Liu Xiyue vigilantly scanned their surroundings, clearly worried that more enemies might still be lying in ambush.
"Firefly, you..."
Firefly turned her head slightly, her gaze falling upon Liu Xiyue's dust-covered cheek.
"Are you alright?"
"Ah? Oh, I'm fine! Thanks!"
Liu Xiyue scratched her head and smiled sheepishly.
Although she could have escaped the sneak attack unharmed with her own abilities, Firefly and Silver Wolf's timely assistance had undoubtedly come at the perfect moment.
At that moment, Silver Wolf casually walked over with her arms crossed.
Her gaze landed directly on the two people who had attempted the ambush.
"You hid for so long, yet you took the bait this quickly."
"The sudden ambush, and the coordination you showed just now—this definitely wasn't an improvised attack."
Firefly's voice remained calm, yet carried unquestionable certainty.
She slowly raised her hand, and the exquisite Firefly Transformation Device appeared in her palm.
With a thought, the cocoon-like light wings instantly unfolded, transforming into a longsword completely enveloped in emerald-green firefly light.
Soft fluorescence flowed across the blade as though countless fireflies were dancing upon it.
At the same time, the Prometheus terminal in Silver Wolf's hand suddenly lit up, its coldly glowing muzzle transforming into a sleek energy longsword.
The miraculous and incredibly cool sight left everyone present stunned, their faces filled with shock.
Although there were plenty of Ability Users in this world capable of manipulating mechanical weapons, equipment as impressive as Firefly's and Silver Wolf's was truly a first.
The blue-glowing energy sword...
The emerald longsword surrounded by dancing firefly light...
Even Liu Xiyue, standing nearby, couldn't hide her surprise as she stared intently at the weapons in their hands. She clearly hadn't expected the two of them to be hiding equipment this cool.
Firefly gripped the emerald firefly longsword tightly, her sharp gaze fixed on the enemy she had just kicked away.
"Let's end this quickly."
With those words, her figure blurred as she charged forward like a graceful swallow. Her silver hair fluttered in the wind, while the emerald firefly light trailing from her sword painted beautiful arcs through the air. She was so fast that her figure became almost impossible to follow.
Meanwhile, Silver Wolf casually raised a hand and put on her signature colorful goggles. Pale blue streams of data rapidly flashed across the lenses.
A playful smile curled at the corners of her lips.
"Alright then. I hope you can make this at least a little fun."
With that, her petite figure also charged toward the original three opponents.
As for the final remaining enemy, he was naturally left for Liu Xiyue.
Watching Firefly and Silver Wolf rush into battle, Liu Xiyue instinctively raised a hand, wanting to call out for them to "be careful."
But before she could take another step, the last remaining enemy suddenly moved.
His figure became a ghostly afterimage, crossing several meters in an instant before appearing right before her.
He was so fast that Liu Xiyue didn't even have time to defend before she felt an overwhelming force rushing straight toward her face.
Not only is he incredibly fast, but his strikes are ridiculously powerful... Is this an Enhancement-type Special Ability?
Caught completely off guard, Liu Xiyue was blasted backward dozens of meters before finally crashing into a broken wall and coming to a stop.
Fortunately, she had reacted in time, instinctively concentrating her spiritual energy at the very last moment to block the attack.
But soon, Liu Xiyue's gaze locked onto the fist her opponent had just used.
Earlier, her instinctive defense had burned that entire fist black.
Yet now, to her horror, she saw the charred flesh regenerating at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The burnt skin gradually peeled away, revealing fresh new flesh beneath it.
He even has regenerative abilities?
Even so, flames suddenly ignited within Liu Xiyue's eyes.
She intended to finish this battle as quickly as possible.
After all, she wasn't worried about dealing with these enemies herself.
The problem was that Silver Wolf and Firefly might not be in the same situation.
If her judgment was correct, the opponent Firefly was currently facing was clearly a expert—the same level her aunt had only recently reached in terms of martial arts.
Silver Wolf was fighting three enemies at once. Even if she could suppress them for the time being, she might eventually be overwhelmed through sheer numbers if the battle dragged on.
She had to defeat the enemy before her as quickly as possible... and then go help them.