"Only he wasn't seen?" Max frowned, a knot of concern tightening in his chest. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong—something had happened to him.
William, Zixi, and Henry knew exactly who Nevin was to Max, but none of them offered words of consolation. They understood the harsh reality of dungeon life—death could come for anyone, regardless of their bonds or status.
Max took a deep breath and sighed before turning to William, Zixi and Henry. "Let's clean this battlefield up and enter this building. I believe this building is the way to the boss room in the dungeon."
They nodded and asked everyone to collected all the cores from the battlefield.
After that some cores were distributed to the students who fought desperately against these goblins while some were held by the trio themselves. They also gave a portion of the cores to Max along with the items came dropped from the goblins.
"I suggest we increase our level to level 3 before heading into that structure." Zixi said to Max and William.
"Sure." Max agreed with her before turning to look at all the students gathered around them.
Turning to Zixi, he said solemnly. "I am sure not everyone is needed into the boss room so asked them not to follow us into the building when we are going inside otherwise if they die we couldn't be held responsible for their lives."
Zixi nodded. She had already planned to do that.
"Good. I am going to level up." Max said smiling and requested. "Please, can you make it so that no one follows me there even William and Henry."
Zixi frowned at the sudden request but she nodded nonetheless.
Max smiled and went away from the gathering of students and arrived somewhere far away in an isolated place.
Looking around for one last time and finding no one around him, Max sat down and took out all the cores he had gotten after killing the goblins just now.
"Mast of them were level 2 cores while five of them were level 3 cores." He checked the cores and began absorbing them one by one in the hopes of getting to level 3.
But as fate would have it even after he absorbed all the level 2 cores and the five level 3 cores, he didn't level up to level 3.
"Well, I have already knew I wouldn't level up but seeing it turn into reality is cruel." Max sighed and stood up.
He looked into the cloudless green sky and felt a complicated emotion in his heart.
"You can come out now." He said lightly.
But nothing happened.
"I know you have been keeping an eye on me since I met with William and the others so there is no point hiding now." Max said looking towards a certain direction. "Come out now."
Again nothing seemed to happen and most importantly nobody came out.
Seeing that Max sighed and fired a magic bullet towards where he was looking.
Just as the bullet was about to reach that point a figure came out of nowhere and stood before Max.
"How did you know I was here?" The figure asked with a faint smile, his messy black hair shifting in the wind but his face couldn't be seen because he wore a black mask.
Max gazed at him, his face filled with sneer. "I've known from the very beginning. Your timing was too perfect—you appeared just when I contacted with William and the others."
The masked figure smiled. "No wonder, you're the number one genius of Horizon Academy, but it doesn't matter. You're going to die here."
Max looked at him and sneered. "With your level 4 strength, you're too naive to think you can kill me."
His tone turned solemn. "But before we battle, let me ask you something. Who sent you after me?"
The masked figure took out a sword and began polishing its shining surface. "Let me think... who was it? Someone from the academy who got jealous of your talent, or maybe someone who hated you? Or could it be that I'm here for revenge? I wonder which of these is true."
Max frowned as he also unsheathed his sword. "From your tone, it seems you're also from the academy. So, if you can tell me which force sent you after me, I might spare you. Otherwise, only death awaits you."
"Hahahah!" The masked figure started laughing like a madman. "You think I don't know? I'm an assassin, so I know my job well."
He added, "Let me end you now." With those words, he vanished into thin air.
Max immediately activated his Three Dimensional Body skill and detected no one around him. He waited for the assassin's figure to close in on him, but just at that moment, a dagger came flying at him.
It was too fast, but Max easily saw the trajectory of the dagger with his Three Dimensional Body. With one swift swing of his sword, he deflected the dagger, sending it flying away.
"You're good," the assassin's voice rang through the air, but Max still didn't see his figure.