Do you really wish to become my enemies?

Facing the beauty before him, Ryan's eyes gleamed with a mischievous smile as he deftly wrapped his arms around Evelyn's waist, suddenly shifting from passive to proactive. He tenderly lifted her chin, his voice a playful and provocative whisper,"Tell me, how eager are you?"

Confronted with such initiative and a teasing smile on Ryan's face, Evelyn responded with a sultry smile, her alluring red lips nearing Ryan's ear. Speaking in an irresistibly seductive, husky tone, Evelyn's breath seemed to carry an undeniable charm as she slowly said,"You'll find out soon enough…"

As Evelyn's tempting voice softly echoed in his ear, her fingers seemed to move with a mind of their own, lightly caressing up Ryan's thigh, exploring higher. Ryan felt a jolt of electric thrill, involuntarily shivering. His gaze was fixed on Evelyn's graceful figure, feeling a volcanic passion about to erupt within him, his breathing becoming heavier.

Ryan's eyes were locked on Evelyn, a woman who navigated the art of seduction with ease. He admired her skill from the depths of his heart, which also kindled his competitive spirit. His hand gently brushed against Evelyn's buttocks, a touch both tender and teasing. Evelyn appeared surprised by the gesture, but quickly, her lips curved into a complex, profound smile, indicating not only her acceptance of Ryan's bold move but also that it sparked deeper interest in her.

"Well, handsome, you really know how to please a lady, don't you?" Evelyn bit her enticing red lips, her gaze laden with flirtation and allure.

Ryan felt surrounded by an invisible force of seduction, a mix of wry amusement and helplessness in his heart. The escalating tension made it increasingly difficult for him to restrain himself, fearing he might lose control and take more audacious actions. The heat of the game was rising, each look and touch charging the atmosphere with stronger currents.

Fortunately, Olaf cast a languid look their way, his face clouded with disapproval,"Hold up, hold up! What the hell y'all doin'? You ain't seriously 'bout to get freaky right in front of my damn face, are ya?"

Upon hearing these words, Evelyn extracted herself from Ryan's embrace with the poise of a victor, her gaze landing on Ryan's flushed and slightly embarrassed face. She laughed, her mirth fluttering like catkins in a spring breeze—playful and teasing.

As Evelyn's laughter still echoed, the sudden, urgent sound of horse hooves thundered from afar, slicing through the relaxed atmosphere. The expressions of the trio turned serious instantly, their eyes sharply turning towards the source of the dust clouds, an instinctive alertness rising within them.

Evelyn quickly consumed the magic potion Ryan had given her, boosting her condition to its peak. Olaf, with axes in hand, looked towards the sound's origin, his face tense.

Ryan's expression darkened, his instincts screaming that the newcomers meant trouble.

"Could it be the Genis family's pursuers?" Uncertainty flickered in Ryan's eyes as he stared into the distance.

Under the cover of night, the figure leading the charge exuded an air of arrogance—a young man with piercing eyes. Recognizing the familiar silhouette, he conjured a sturdy brown longbow in his hands as if by magic, quickly infusing it with surging magical power. In the brief silence that followed, he drew the bowstring taut and released a magic-infused arrow. It whistled through the air, carrying an undeniable intent to kill, hurtling straight for Ryan!

In an instant, the magic arrow was racing towards Ryan's face!

"Danger!" Evelyn's eyes darkened as she cried out in alarm.

Ryan's expression turned ice-cold, his guess was right! Just as the magic arrow was about to hit him, the "Wings of the Gale" swiftly shielded him from the front.

The arrow crashed against the "Wings of the Gale," shattering into specks of light. The shadowy figure in the dark did not attempt another attack. Instead, he spurred his horse forward, breaking through the darkness at a startling speed to appear within Ryan, Evelyn, and Olaf's line of sight. With a skillful pull on the reins, he brought the sturdy warhorse to a precise halt in the night, its front hooves slightly lifting before settling down amidst a cloud of dust, revealing the young man's form.

Soon after, a dense group of accompanying knights charged out behind him, all Advanced mages above level 33. Their movements were quick and orderly, instantly surrounding Ryan and his companions in an unbreakable circle, and threw a disheveled figure in front of them.

The figure that landed was Chris, who had abandoned everyone to flee alone earlier!

Ryan's gaze swept over the knights in shining armor, arranged like a forest around them, then settled on the young man looking down at them with a mocking light in his eyes. A fierce rage ignited within Ryan. This rage spread quickly through his chest, as if his eyes could shoot actual flames, directly confronting the provocative gaze of the newcomer—Adolf Genis, the very cause of his and his sister's relentless flight.

"Damn it, you coward! What are you back for? Who are these people you've brought with you? Damn!" Olaf glared at the returned Chris, his eyes nearly spewing fire, his voice a mix of shock and anger.

"I don't know! They're here for Ryan!" Chris's body trembled, hastily explaining to the furiously angry Olaf, his voice clearly filled with fear and tension,"Really, I swear to God, I was just told to bring them here to find Ryan. I don't know anything else!" Chris's face was pale, his gaze flickering uncertainly, obviously terrified by Olaf's nearly murderous rage. His hands slightly lifted as if to show his innocence and beg for mercy, his body unconsciously retreating, trying to maintain a distance from the angry Olaf.

Hearing this response, confusion spread over Evelyn and Olaf's faces like a fog. Their gazes quickly turned to Ryan like searchlights, sparkling with the desire for answers, as if hoping Ryan could unveil the truth behind the sudden situation.

Ryan took a deep breath, his eyes scanning over the ten mages from the Genis family that surrounded them. Thankfully, they were only Advanced mages!

Adolf's eyes, filled with greed, fixated on the "Wings of the Gale" behind Ryan as he spoke with mocking amusement, "So, you do have treasures on you! You've given me quite the chase! And here you are, flirting instead!"

Ryan scoffed coldly, his eyes brimming with lethal intent, "You think you brought enough men? Do you know how Yeru died? I killed him!"

Adolf's demeanor quickly cooled, the previous scorn vanished, replaced by a chilling grimness, "Stop pretending! I don't care how you killed my uncle. Your running away says it all—you're guilty, afraid of the Genis family's vengeance. Now, I'm giving you a chance. Hand over all your treasures, and maybe I'll grant you a swift end when I kill you. Otherwise, you'll face a fate worse than death! I'll slice the flesh off your bones piece by piece and feed it to the dogs!"

Ryan's face displayed a scornful smile as he coldly retorted, "You think you're worthy of my treasures?"

"Still defiant in the face of death!" Frustrated by Ryan's calm demeanor, unable to gain an upper hand verbally, Adolf roared at his followers, commanding, "Kill them all!"

"WTF!? Wait a minute! We're not with him; whatever beef you have with him has nothing to do with us!" In the face of the encircling mages ready to attack, Olaf panicked, not wanting to suffer collateral damage. In a life-or-death moment, he desperately shouted, trying to distance themselves from Ryan.

This outcry made Adolf reconsider, momentarily halting his followers with a raised hand, as a wicked idea took root.

"So be it! I'll give you a chance to live!" Adolf sneered, pointing at Ryan, "Kill him, and I'll let you go!"

"This…" Olaf's face tensed, eyeing the hostile knights surrounding them, wrestling with the decision internally.

"Kill him! Then we all can live!" Chris, looking at the cold bodies of their companions nearby, quickly made his choice. In his view, with just him and the remaining few of their squad, they stood no chance against the noble's ten Advanced mages, especially after a recent battle had drained their magical reserves. They were lambs to the slaughter.

Evelyn was internally conflicted at that moment. Undeniably, Ryan was strong, but that didn't mean he was capable enough to take on the group of mages, whose average level was 33. The adversaries were aggressively approaching, and turning against Ryan now would mean siding against him, something Evelyn deeply wished to avoid.

"My patience has its limits! I'll count to three! If you still refuse to act... then we'll all die together!" Adolf, seeing the hesitation in the two, coldly issued his final ultimatum.

Finally, the desire to live completely overpowered the bonds of friendship. With great reluctance, Evelyn and Olaf stepped to the opposite side of Ryan, their expressions a complex mix of emotions.

Ryan couldn't hide his disappointment. He had never imagined that his comrades, who had fought alongside him just moments ago, would now all turn against him.

In this tense atmosphere, Evelyn and Olaf stood opposite Ryan, their faces etched with conflict and helplessness. The choice they faced was not just about survival or death but touched on deeper themes of loyalty vs. betrayal, and courage vs. fear.

Evelyn's heart was full of turmoil, her gaze shifting uncertainly between Ryan and Adolf. It wasn't a simple choice, but a test of her principles—whether she was willing to sacrifice her deep-seated values and her profound friendship with Ryan for momentary safety.

Olaf, although seemingly making a choice, was also struggling internally. A hint of sorrow flashed in his eyes, as if reflecting on whether the sacrifice of a comrade for survival was truly worth it.

Ryan, facing betrayal, was visibly disappointed. But at that moment, perhaps his feelings were more of understanding and sadness.he knew all too well that the desire to survive sometimes forces people to make decisions against their will.

Ryan took a deep breath, his eyes revealing a sense of determination and calm, as if he had accepted this absurd outcome. His gaze flickered coldly as he looked at Evelyn and the others, sighing, "Do you really wish to become my enemies?"