[Congratulations!]

Reflected by the flickering embers of the blazing fire, Noir's gaze was as deep as it was inscrutable, causing Gu Luoxin's heart to skip a beat. "S–Senior…?"

Narrowing his eyes, Noir responded, "I didn't save you. You simply created a perfect opening to attack." Or in other words, he was telling Gu Luoxin not to get ahead of himself.

Ouch, Gu Luoxin winced inwardly at the sudden sting in his heart. Then again, Noir had always been blunt and straightforward, so he should have gotten used to this. But this time, there was a sharper edge to Noir's tone that caught him utterly off guard… or was it all a product of his imagination? He tried to observe the person before him more closely, but once again Noir was akin to a perfectly impenetrable fortress or a tightly sealed clam, not allowing anyone to catch a glimpse of emotions on his perpetually deadpan face.