"My anesthetic… How could it be possible…"
Though Rumno's words dripped with disbelief, his movements were lightning-fast. As he spoke, he'd already scrambled over half the dining table, heedless of the food staining his clothes. He reached Alisha's side, one hand gripping her neck, the other aiming a syringe needle at her eyes, glaring at Sebastian warily.
"I know you care deeply for Alisha, so I suggest you don't make me nervous. Otherwise, I'd rather we all go down together. Personally, I'm quite fond of her."
Sebastian stayed calm, not rising from his seat. He fixed his gaze on Rumno and said, "Since you know Alisha's my only family, do you really think I'd leave her unprotected?"
As his words landed, Sebastian clenched his right hand, and his wand appeared in his grip.
Seeing this, Alisha's eyes widened with shock and disbelief. She'd thought Rumno was unhinged, but now the whole world seemed mad! Since when could her son Sebastian wield magic?
Rumno was decisive, his actions swift. The instant he saw Sebastian's wand, he thrust the syringe toward Alisha's eyes while tightening his grip on her neck. His enhanced strength could easily snap her neck.
But at that moment, a white light erupted from Alisha's chest. A powerful repulsive force slammed into Rumno, hurling his body backward and crashing him into the wall.
Sebastian was at Alisha's side in a flash, a potion-filled test tube appearing in his left hand. He fed it to Alisha, guiding her to drink. Then, he tapped his wand lightly on her chest. The pendant he'd given her floated from her clothes, glowing white and enveloping her in protective light.
Glancing at Rumno, who scrambled up and fled through the window, Sebastian didn't chase immediately. Instead, he said to Alisha, "Mom, I'll explain everything when I'm back. I'm going after that guy first! You're safe now. The pendant I gave you will protect you. Don't move around."
With that, Sebastian stood, pulled out his phone, and sent a message to Sharon, asking him to come protect Alisha at once. Then, he dissolved into black smoke and vanished from the spot, tracking the magical mark the pendant had placed on Rumno when it triggered.
Rumno, or rather the Ten Rings agent posing as a Doctor under the alias Rumno, swapped clothes as he ran. By the time he burst out of the building, he'd transformed into a hip-hop youth in his twenties, blending into the crowd.
He scanned his surroundings, his face betraying nothing, but his heart raced with tension.
Entering a tavern, the agent headed straight to the bathroom. He slipped into the farthest stall, checked the toilet tank, and pried open the lid to retrieve a small package taped inside. It held disguise gear, a pistol, and a syringe. He tucked them close, exited the bathroom, slipped out the tavern's back door, and stepped into a damp, shadowy alley.
But then, a circular portal of swirling sparks opened beneath his feet. The agent had no time to react and plummeted through, landing on a ground strewn with leaves and weeds!
He sprang up, realizing he was in a forest. Not far ahead, Sebastian stood waiting!
The agent's face darkened. He knew Sebastian was a wizard with many spells, but only now, facing him, did he grasp how terrifying Sebastian's magic was! Yet, he also knew Sebastian hadn't killed him outright despite his power, which meant there was room to negotiate.
"Why didn't you kill me? I figured you'd end me the moment you caught me!"
"I have questions for you, and I expect honest answers."
"Answers… Sure, if you spare my life, I'll tell you everything."
As he spoke, the agent's hand darted behind his waist, yanking out a pistol. But as he raised it, a yellow flash streaked toward him. The pistol seemed to spring to life, wrenching from his grip and landing at Sebastian's feet.
Expelliarmus! It had no effect on mighty weapons like Gungnir or Mjölnir, but against common firearms, it worked perfectly!
"Looks like you're not planning to answer honestly."
Without hesitation, the agent jabbed the syringe into his neck. Sebastian watched with curiosity, letting him inject the substance.
Sebastian wasn't worried about the injection. Even if it was lethal, he could extract answers before the agent died!
The drug surged into the agent's body. He groaned, stumbling back a few steps. A beastly roar tore from his throat.
Sebastian watched as the agent's skin reddened, faint steam curling from his mouth and nose. When the agent looked up, his eyes had morphed into reptilian vertical slits, and a savage aura radiated from him.
"Feel the power of the dragon!"
With a bellow, the agent's nails lengthened and curved, and dark green scales sprouted from his hands to his elbows, stark against his crimson skin.
The agent didn't pause. He charged at Sebastian with startling speed, hands and feet blurring, slashing his sharp claws straight at Sebastian!