"Who do you think you are?"
"What a big mouth! If I wasn't mana-locked, I'd flatten you in seconds—believe it!"
Hei Zi was already feeling miserable about being unable to exert his strength due to the mana lock. When Summer Sunshine suddenly showed up and spoke to Shi Feng in that condescending tone, he immediately flew into a rage.
"What incredible speed!"
Watercolor Rose stared at the muscular young man who had appeared before them and realized that this youth, named Summer Sunshine, was already at level 26—a level equal to her own, to say nothing of the tremendous pressure she felt radiating from him.
That pressure was even heavier and colder than what she experienced facing a Lord-class monster.
The overwhelming confidence that Summer Sunshine exuded was especially striking. Every movement and gesture carried an air of disdain for everything around him, and the way he looked at them wasn't how one would regard equals—it was more like observing an entirely different species, a god gazing down upon mortals.
"Just who is this person?" Watercolor Rose couldn't believe it. Her instincts had been screaming at her to get away from this man. It was the first time she'd felt anything like this since she started playing Divine Realm.
Nearby, Ziyan Liuyun was on high alert as well. She had previously gone with Shi Feng to witness the Snake of the Body's pinnacle duel and had gained some understanding of monstrous experts. She was even more aware than Watercolor Rose of how terrifying such people could be. She immediately grabbed the impulsive Hei Zi and warned him carefully: "Brother Hei Zi, be careful. He's not simple. Compared to him, we're not even on the same level."
Only after hearing Ziyan Liuyun's warning did Hei Zi calm down and carefully size up Summer Sunshine. Cold sweat instantly broke out across his forehead.
Earlier, his frustration over the mana lock had clouded his mind, preventing him from sensing the imposing aura radiating from Summer Sunshine—and that faint killing intent as well.
"Hm, you're actually pretty capable. Sharp instincts, too. You're only the second group I've encountered since coming to the Star Moon Kingdom. This White River City really is an interesting place." Summer Sunshine couldn't help but be surprised. Even Mingsha, who was considered a top-tier expert in the Underworld, hadn't detected his prowess—yet Watercolor Rose and her companions had. The gap between them proved these people were slightly stronger than Mingsha, though only slightly. He then pointed at Shi Feng and said, "I have no interest in you lot. You can leave—but he stays."
"You!"
Hei Zi was about to erupt again, but Shi Feng held him back.
"You all go first," Shi Feng said.
"But..." Hei Zi knew Shi Feng's current situation all too well. After using a burst skill in the battle against the great Lord Anubis's Gatekeeper, Shi Feng had fallen into a weakened state with his strength greatly diminished. Facing Summer Sunshine alone right now would be anything but good.
"With this many of us, can't we take him down?" Lan Shuyun asked in confusion. She simply couldn't understand. These experts who had been treating red-named Elite players like beaten dogs were now completely on guard against a single Assassin. She couldn't wrap her head around it.
Sure, the spellcasters couldn't act, but the three of them were still Elite-class players. Combined with Black Flame, couldn't they take out a level-26 Assassin?
"All right, you need to go. If you wait any longer, the people behind will catch up." Shi Feng waved his hand, declining the offer. Lan Shuyun and the others hadn't yet reached that level of understanding—they didn't know just how terrifying the young man before them truly was.
Watercolor Rose had no choice but to comply. If they hadn't been mana-locked, they could have put up a real fight. But in their current state against an Assassin, they'd be nothing more than living targets. She spoke up: "Let's go."
With that, Watercolor Rose led the others away.
"Guild Master, let me help." Fire Dance had also spotted the sudden appearance of Summer Sunshine and said through party chat.