Two allies

The masked figure suddenly appeared next to his horse without anyone noticing him. Slowly, he walked toward the villagers. The villagers saw the mysterious figure wearing a black wooden mask with a symbol on it, shiny armor, and a crimson cloak with a symbol on it. He was equipped with a sword, exuding strength and grace that seemed otherworldly.

"Don't worry about them. Go ahead," it seemed like the masked man spoke to his horse with a reassuring voice.

Listening to the masked man's voice, his horse started to walk toward the villagers. Seeing the horse slowly approaching, the rogue leader demanded, "Stop your horse, or else."

The rogue leader's threat had no effect on the advancing horse. "Fine, I'll kill all of you," the rogue leader spat, his voice dripping with cruel intentions. "Boys! Burn that horse and that man," the rogue leader commanded.

Listening to their leader's new command, half of the rogues surrounded the masked man while the other half surrounded the masked man's horse, stopping it from advancing.

The first half of the rogues that surrounded the masked man's horse earlier together chanted a spell, "Azure Inferno!" They spoke in loud and clear voices, synchronizing with each other.

As they chanted the spell, the village temperature began to rise significantly, making the rogues themselves sweat. In the blink of an eye, blue flames erupted in each of the rogues' hands, and the flames grew larger and larger with each passing second, and the temperature rose with the flames. With a quick glance at their hands, the rogues unleashed their blue flame attacks toward the defenseless horse.

As the rogues launched their attack, smiles of satisfaction appeared under their hoods. But their satisfaction was temporary. As their blue flame attack was about to reach the horse, it stopped mid-air, and the blue flames suddenly extinguished.

As the blue flame attack extinguished, a barrier became visible around the horse. "Ethereal Shroud!" a voice could be heard casting a spell.

As the spell was cast, another horse became visible next to the horse to which Hiroshi was tied. This new horse was white, contrasting the masked man's horse. On this new horse, two people were riding.

Both of them were females. The female in the front had long peach hair with emerald green eyes and wore lightweight armor in green and blue. Her name was Eiera, and she was the one who cast the spell earlier.

The female in the back had short black hair with gray eyes. She was also wearing lightweight armor in gray and black. Her name was Rin.

The rogues were startled by their sudden appearance. "Shadow, let's go, hurry up," Eiera said to the horse carrying Hiroshi. As Shadow the horse heard her voice, it started to sprint at full speed toward the villagers, reaching them before the rogues could cast another spell.

With swift movements, Eiera and Rin dismounted their horse. "Sanctum Shield!" Eiera cast another spell. As she did, her hair started to float in the air, and her eyes began to glow blue. Magic surged from her body toward her hands, forming an invisible barrier around the villagers.

Rin carefully lifted Hiroshi from Shadow and gently put him on the ground. "Flesh Mend!" Rin cast a healing spell onto Hiroshi. As she cast her spell, Hiroshi's cuts and bruises slowly began to revert back to their original condition.

Meanwhile, the masked man stood still, doing nothing, while the other half of the rogue group also stood still, shocked by the sudden appearance of Eiera and Rin.

"There's nothing you can do about them anymore," the masked man spoke to attract the attention of the rogues.

The entire group of rogues combined and surrounded the masked man. "Azure Inferno!"

The rogues cast their spell again, quickly releasing their blue flame attack on the masked man, leaving no chance for him to run. The masked man stood still like a wall; he didn't even move a single inch.

The masked man simply absorbed the rogue attack. "What the...." a rogue spoke, shocked by the attack's failure.

The masked man saw the rogue leader walking toward the barrier Eiera had made, trying to breach it. "Let's see where the weak point of this is."

The rogue leader spoke as he extended his arm to touch the barrier. Just before the rogue leader's fingertips were about to touch the barrier, the rogue leader's hand was gripped tightly by the masked man. "You were there, how?"

The rogue leader was confused by the instant teleportation of the masked man. The group of rogues was also confused by the instant teleportation of the masked man.

"I'm everywhere," the masked man's grip tightened on the rogue leader's hand as he spoke.

"Release my hand now, or else!" the rogue leader spoke with a demanding tone. "Fine," the masked man released his grip as he spoke.

"What are you doing there? Come here now," the rogue leader ordered his men to accompany him in fighting the masked man. All the rogues rushed to their leader's side as they heard his words.

The masked man stood in front of Eiera's barrier like a wall. Against him, all seventeen rogues were ready to unleash their true power against the masked man.