Split Second

Allen tightly held his curved sword. The frequency of his breaths kept increasing as he drew even closer.

'What is this feeling? It feels -- so wonderful!!!' He shouted internally.

He curled up his lips, but coupled with his red eyes it looked more like it was the smile of a maniac.

While sprinting, he raised up his sword and an invisible powerful aura leaked out. If he slashed down, a flash would shoot out and tear everything on the way.

Meanwhile, Chelsea was already frightened to her wits' end. Her senses were shouting that something dangerous was approaching!

Chelsea further increased the speed of carriage. However, because there were a number of carts and people on the way, the steed wasn't able to speed up to its fullest speed.

"I can sense a power brewing on the roofs. It's as powerful as a wizard!" Her face fell and she began hesitating. She does not have any chance to go against somebody of that power . Would she speed up and possibly injure or even kill the people on the way? Or maintain that speed and hope for the best?

In a moment, she decided what to do. Sighing to herself, she muttered, "Sir's life is more important than these people's."

Another lash of the whip cracked out and the stallion further increased its pace. The sudden outburst of speed alarmed the people on the way. Most of them hastily cleared out a path while a few others who didn't know what was going on or were too slow were grazed by the carriage's side.

Some of them were pushed to the crowd by the burst of air following behind the hurrying carriage, while a few unlucky others were blown away, sent flying a few meters.

A few carts didn't have the luxury to dodge and the steed pierced through them without stopping, with their contents either behind, crushed or thrown on the ground.

'The last time I felt this threatened was when I battled a wyvern! But this level of danger I'm sensing is many times higher than that!' She had gone into many expeditions and faced a lot of dangers. With her strength, she could be included into the ranks of the elite soldiers, but this situation far exceeded her previous encounters!

If her earlier battles were like a sword coming for her, this time, it was akin to the sword's tip already bleeding her neck!

Nevertheless, even faced with the seemingly boundless pressure exuded by the unknown enemy, she still maintained her calm expression and prepared herself for the worst outcome.

'If it will come to that point, then I won't hesitate sacrificing my life!' Her responsibility was tied down to protecting the teenager inside the carriage. Even faced with certain death, she would never hesitate to throw away her life.

However, after speeding up the threat she was sensing didn't die down but intensified instead!

"I got you know!" Allen slashed down.

-whizz-

-clang-

In a blink of an eye, a man holding a staff with three glowing external Mana Hearts embedded on it appeared in front of Allen and blocked his attack!

The old man stumbled back several steps before pushing Allen back to another rooftop.

"What are you doing!?" The old man angrily asked, who was none other than Esmund. "Have you gone crazy? You are going to kill a lot of people!"

Earlier, Allen didn't hold back anything from his strength and if he successfully launched the attack not just the carriage alone but the surrounding buildings and populace in a very large area would be flattened and others further outside that distance would feel the tremor!

Allen was already as powerful as a mid-stage wizard. Over the past six years, not only has his expertise in alchemy bubbled and improved but also his strength.

Basically in terms of strength, a mage could easily destroy a whole village but not instantaneously, an adept could possibly burn a whole town but not immediately, and a wizard although not right away could level a city but if given enough time they could accomplish such a feat; only depending on the abilities they control and if they would all go out and nobody could deter them.

For a big city such as Ryon City, it would take a much longer but it would surely happen.

"If the array had not sensed that strong energy fluctuation and if I was not informed on time, you could have caused another 'Victory Fireworks'!" Esmund did not stop from reprimanding.

A few seconds later, the topic of reprimand shifted from the 'Victory Fireworks' to how Allen was not utilizing his potential for alchemy to the fullest.

"Shut up already." Allen said in a low voice.

"Hm?" Esmund noticed Allen calmed down with his eyes returning back to normal.

"You finally calmed yourself down." The glow on the gems on Esmund's magic staff disappeared. Chanting a word, the staff dematerialized from his grasps.

"What an overflow of emotions you have earlier. Did you use a rainbow Soul Shard or what?" Esmund sat down on the roof. He bent over forwards, put his right arm over his legs and placed his chin to rest over his right hand, "Don't tell me I coerced you again?" He smiled with his usual confidence.

"No. My emotions were suddenly triggered. I think there is an object that triggered it. It's inside that carriage." Allen pointed his finger to the shortening back of the speeding carriage. "I can already feel its influence on me weakening."

Looking over to the already pinpoint small carriage from afar, Esmund's eyes constricted, "From the designs and facade of the carriage, it looks like the person in it is an important government official or a high-class noble, or both."

"Tsk, tsk." Esmund shook his head, "Boy, if I hadn't stopped you, trust me, you will most likely be a first-level fugitive by now."

Glancing at Allen's steady eyes, looking at the far carriage, Esmund asked, "Do you want to get closer again? I will help you control yourself."

Allen thought of that idea, but his answer didn't take longer and refused.

"Why? Even if most likely the object owned by whoever is inside that carriage is off limits, this is your chance to feel your emotions without using Soul Shards." Esmund said, "The emotions the Soul Shards give you are commonly artificial."

"I've lived for years without my emotions, I can do it again. I don't want to get addicted or crazy again." Allen replied. Meanwhile, he could already feel the connection to whatever was giving him emotion nearly severing.

Allen was about to leave when Esmund asked, "I overheard Samuel's apprentice tell him he met somebody, from his description I think it was you he was talking about, right?"

...

Earlier...

In an underground hallway where there were a number of alchemists travelling around.

"Master, master!" James called out to the back of an old man. From the colors of the robes worn by the elder, it was obvious he was in charge of a high position.

"James?" Samuel turned around, "What's the matter, why do you seem very happy?"

The kid explained to his master what occurred earlier in the coliseum.

"What?! You met somebody you don't know and just followed him? You could have been kidnapped!" Samuel angrily berated, but his mood turned into worry and checked his apprentice's body, "Are you hurt? Are you alright?"

James struggled his way out of his master's grip and said, "I'm alright."

"What does that guy who helped you look like?" Samuel asked with sharp eyes.

James: "He looks handsome."

"As handsome as I am?" Samuel snickered.

"No master." James shook his head. "He doesn't look like a donkey."

"Ugh." Samuel clutched his abdomen in pain.

"Are you alright, master?" The kid asked with a worried look.

"I am." Samuel retracted his hand.

With a fast change in mood, James continued to describe the man's looks until he was dismissed by Samuel.

'A man with a dead-like stone face?' Samuel inwardly speculated. The first person he had in mind was none other than Allen.

Amidst the other people walking by, Esmund pondered over what James had said, 'Could be Allen.'

...

Back to the present...

"Yes, I met him. His name is James, isn't it?" Allen said. His hands secretly shivered while recalling the kid.

"Mhm." Esmund nodded, "He was not able to join the competition, quite brave to join in an experts' arena. Now that I think about it, I should give him a free seat for that bravery. Samuel is such a lousy master."

"He did say to me that he was a lousy master." Allen added.

"He did?" Esmund grinned, "I should remind him of that."

Allen suddenly added, "The boy's not entirely wrong with what he said."

Esmund laughed out loud. He said, "You ungrateful brat! He is still your master; he taught you the basics of -- nevermind, I was the one who taught you that. You were so horrible, I could not believe he was not able to train you to your potential!"

As his laughs settled down, he asked, "I think I know why your purpose here. Do you want me to help you talk to him?"

He waited for his answer but no words came out of his mouth. Allen stood there without moving. He was like a statue with dead eyes.

"Come to me if you need help approaching him. This is getting repetitive but -- I never told you to do that." Esmund wore the hood of his robes. His staff reappeared on his hands. Chanting a few words, his staff glowed and he teleported away.

Allen turned his head to the place where Esmund was once standing. After a few seconds, he jumped away on top of the buildings.

***

On a grass patch near the road. The carriage stopped on its tracks and the panting stallion plopped to the ground.

Chelsea slid down the coach's seat, holding tight on the golden rails, struggling to stand up. Coupled with her armor, she felt that she was carrying a whole building.

The door of the carriage opened up. Heigens, Frederick and William staggered out.

Frederick kneeled on the ground puked. After his stomach calmed down seconds later, he shouted angrily, "Chelsea! Are you trying *gulp* turn us into broccolis!?"

Meanwhile, both Heigens and William swaggered towards the coach's seat where Chelsea was. Leaning on the carriage, Heigens chuckled, "I t-t-thought those e-e-extinct t-t-t-titans aren't extinct a-a-anymore and came out of t-t-the ground to j-juggle us with heads of d-d-dragons!"

"What..." William gulped in with difficulty and continued, "...in the world happened?"

"Somebody is out to kill you sir. Whoever that was, it almost killed us." With her remaining strength, she sat up on the coach's seat and pointed her fingers towards the other three.

A cooling sensation flowed through their veins and slightly alleviated their motion sickness.

"Somebody's out to kill me?" William asked again.

"Yes, sir." Chelsea nodded. Compared to the others, she was in a better shape because of her adept powers. Although she might seem to have become exhausted, she wasn't. It was her worries that made her dizzy, which has now evaporated.

"Oh." William answered. "Frederick? Add this one to the count of assassination attempts." He looked towards Frederick, who was still busy coping with his fizzy belly.

"Erm nevermind -- Heigens, do you know how many times there was an assassination attempt on me?" He asked. Heigens was the assistant of Frederick, who was William's assistant.

"Hmm..." Heigens went into deep thinking until he replied, "T-t-tenth time."

William: "Seriously?" His years within the government were not peaceful. With the complicated politics in the kingdom, it was already a miracle if an official with William's position only had three or four enemies.

"Wait n-no, a h-h-h-hundred and tenth t-t-t-time actually, if w-w-we count the a-a-attempt today, it's about one h-h-hundred and eleventh t-time." Heigens replied.

Their breaths paused as they heard sounds of footsteps. They glanced at the direction from where it was coming from and spotted two armored guards carrying enchanted spears. From the symbol at the left part of their chest armor, all of them except for Frederick who was still busy being a waterfall recognized who they were.

"Marquis Rowin's personal guards?" Chelsea became alert and exerted a slight force of her magic.

The two incoming guards paused on their steps and became nervous. They were only at the Mage level, the pressure that an adept could exude was enough for them to think twice of approaching. However, as part of their training, they pulled down their nervousness and continued walking foot by foot.

"This is the Marquis' lands. I suggest all of you get out of here at once before you will be dragged into the cellars." One of the guards warned while they both pointed their spears to them. Although Chelsea was an adept which could crush them both, they have a sense of fearlessness because they could just call for reinforcements, and the Marquis had no shortage of adepts or adept-level internal energy practitioners.

"Give us a few minutes and we'll be on our way." Chelsea said.

"No, get out of the land now or we'll call for others to drag all of you!" The other guard fearlessly proclaimed. Adepts were quite a rarity in the kingdom, only if their numbers were compared to mages and mage-apprentices.

"Just a few minutes?" This time, it was William who requested.

"No! Get out!"

Finally, Heigens spoke out, "Then w-w-why didn't you b-b-built a wall a-a-around this p-p-place in the first p-p-place if you don't w-w-want anybody trespassing you d-d-dimwitted junkheads!" Even with a stuttering voice, his outrages were the cream of the crop.

Heigens' insults were like a burning poisonous whip that lashed towards the guards' feelings.

Hey, we're just guarding the place here! Why is there even a need to pick on us? We didn't even say anything like that to you!

"Hold on." William went back inside the carriage and walked back out carrying a seal. He presented it to the guards.

When the guards saw it, their faces changed and one of them immediately said, "A high-ranking government official! We are so sorry sir! We'll give you a few more minutes of break, but only a few more minutes. The marquis really doesn't like trespassers." They bowed their bodies to a near 90° angle and walked away.

"That's been taken care of. Finally, a short rest." Chelsea took off the parts of her armor on her arms and stretched them out. She placed both of her hands behind her head and turned her eyes to the already done Frederick.

As Frederick walked forward with one step, he suddenly collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"What a weak body." Chelsea tsked while shaking her head.

"Hey." William gently called out Chelsea, "Thanks for saving me, again."

The two's gazes locked onto each other.

After some time, Chelsea said, "Anything for our little underaged government official." She rubbed his head and smirked.

"You're messing up my hair!" He pushed away her hand. "And I'm almost as tall as you are!"

Meanwhile at the side, Heigens was chewing his nails.