Unable to Stop the Masked Merchants

"You jumped back… Not bad."

The sword-wielding merchant said nothing in reply. He simply brushed his hand over his chest and resided his sword for the next clash. Though the man's eyes were somehow blurred behind the mask, the man's determination was still evident.

"Still want to be seen as a thief? Some guild you're from," laughed Oli.

A burst of blue, serene essence began to cascade over the masked merchant. Like a living waterfall, the merchant appeared both calm yet powerful, tranquil yet unstoppable.

'Careful. He may be an elder.'

'What?!' Oli almost shouted out loud in surprise, barely containing his telepathic remarks. 'Then how--'

'He doesn't seem to be going all out though, only using enough essence to face a low or mid-adept,' Vloz continued his assessment. 'I'll be taking action when the moment is right, but you'll have to play along. For now, test the man and try to force as much essence out of him as possible.'