While the fiery-red Emma chased Layne and the girl in his arms, the mercenary blasted by her magic earlier staggered out of the flames. His once-handsome face was now streaked with soot, white and black, looking worse than a beggar’s.

“Cough… cough cough… Hey! You idiots, stop shouting! I’m not dead yet! I’m still alive!”

The mercenary glared at the fleeing crowd. He hadn’t died—why were they yelling like that? Seriously.

And that red-clad woman! He’d just tried chatting her up. If she refused, fine! But why throw a spell without warning? Damn it! Without his anti-magic charms, he’d be dead.

Seriously scary. Were all pretty girls this violent nowadays?

The mercenary rubbed his bald head, watching Emma chase Layne. He cursed inwardly and yelled about his rotten luck.

“Ahhh!!! Help!!! Ghost!!!”

A passerby, seeing the mercenary—who should’ve perished in the fire—still alive, screamed and bolted away.

“What? A ghost?” The bald mercenary, badly startled, ran too. “Buddy, where’s the ghost?”

The guy he caught turned around, instantly rolled his eyes back, pointed at the bald head, and collapsed unconscious.

Damn it!

Could the ghost be behind him?

Seeing the guy point behind him, the mercenary thudded to his knees and wailed, “Great Ghost! I have elderly parents and young kids! Don’t take me…”

Poor bald mercenary had no idea the collapsed guy was scared unconscious by him—the “ghost” meant him.

While he wailed at thin air, the girl in Layne’s arms decided to drain his magic. Otherwise, she couldn’t beat that wolf-girl.

Poor Layne. Mid-flight, dodging Emma’s fireballs, the girl grabbed his head. His magic began flowing continuously into her.

“My magic! Damn it! You’re not a helpless girl!!”

By the time Layne realized, half his magic was gone. When he tried casting a spell against her, the rest vanished without a trace.

The remaining sliver couldn’t sustain his wind magic. His cyan wings vanished; he plummeted. Pitch-black wings sprouted from the girl’s back.

Plummeting, Layne’s eyes filled with terror. “Black wings!! A DarkMage!!!”

The girl he’d held was actually a DarkMage!!!

That didn’t matter now. Who’d catch him?! Damn it! Flying was fun earlier, but falling from a hundred meters up—he’d splatter if no one caught him!!

He didn’t want to die!! His huge fortune awaited inheritance. If he died, his old man might be snatched by some seductress!!!

“Help…”

Layne strained to shout, but “Help” came out quieter than a mosquito’s buzz. Damn, his magic was drained, and his strength vanished too.

This was it. He’d die young. Layne closed his eyes; he didn’t want to see himself splatter.

Just then, a figure leaped from the crowd and caught him mid-air. “Open your eyes. You’re not dead yet.”

“That voice… Alan’s?” Layne slowly opened his eyes to a handsome, smiling face.

“Alan, it’s really you! My good buddy! I thought I’d never see you again.” Layne tried hugging him and wailing, but couldn’t even move a finger.

Damn that DarkMage! She didn’t leave any magic. Now he couldn’t even get excited.

“Hey, Layne, you had quite the romantic luck back there.” Silver-haired Alan placed him safely and cast Light-based healing magic.

Minutes later, exhausted Layne regained some strength. His magic was a tiny bit back.

“Bullshit romance! You saw it—I almost died at that DarkMage’s hands! Damn DarkMage, I won’t let her go. When I catch her, I’ll make her pay a hundred times over!!!”

Regaining strength, Layne’s voice returned.

“Rest here. I’ll apprehend that DarkMage—she’s worth a fortune. By the way, do you know that fiery-red girl?”

Alan glanced at the two women battling above Sleepless City.

“Don’t know her. But she’s strong—be careful. And that DarkMage too.”

“Got it. Rest up.”

As he spoke, pristine white wings sprouted from Alan’s back. Layne’s eyes nearly popped out. “Damn it! Angelic Wings!!”

Alan smiled, flapped his wings, and soared skyward.

“What a freak. He even mastered Angelic Wings magic. If the Light Cathedral saw this, they’d grovel at his feet.”

Watching Alan fly, Layne leaned against the wall, envious. In all Newdali City, no one matched Alan’s magical talent.

Now, mid-air, Alan, the DarkMage, and fiery-red Emma stood at three points, glaring.

“I never expected Newdali City’s bloody criminal to be such an exquisitely beautiful female DarkMage.”

Alan studied her delicate face, ink-black eyes gleaming coldly. He wasn’t mesmerized by beauty. To him, she was a walking pile of gold coins. Capturing her would pay off half his father’s debts.

“Human, get out of the way. She’s my prey,” Emma said.

“Fox? Wolf-girl? How dare you roam freely in the human world? Aren’t you afraid the Light Cathedral will dissect you?”

Though Emma’s magic hid her beast ears and tail, Alan saw through it instantly.

“You can see this queen’s true form?” A trace of surprise flashed in her red eyes.

Alan chuckled. “Your Majesty? Do you think this is the Qing Dynasty? What nonsense.”