Unlike Nicole, who had fallen into an illusory realm.
In reality, Ronald’s lips were slightly closed on the spot.
The young female investigator who had just been engaged in fierce battle was actually normal at first.
However, when her bullets pierced the enemy’s body and that green blood flowed out, eventually touching Nicole’s body.
That was when she began to be affected by the enemy’s abilities.
After abruptly kicking the woman away, Nicole then stood completely still.
At this point, the young investigator’s professionalism showed.
In less time than it takes to breathe, swift green grasses burst through the floor, promptly engulfing Nicole in layers. Just by the impressive force, one could understand it was a powerful form of self-protection.
As long as the defense wasn’t breached, Nicole inside would be safe.
And at this very moment—
The middle-aged woman who had been kicked away, her face contorted in disgust as she propped herself up against the wall behind, stood up ferociously.
Instantly, she conveyed the murderous intent in her heart through her gaze into Ronald’s eyes.
Seeing the vicious look,
It was apparent that, compared to her injuries, she was more concerned about the two investigators in the house.
Heaving chest, blood still slowly trickling from the wound, the woman gasped for air with great effort, her gaze also converged on the green vegetation in the room.
Obviously, the experienced investigator had completed a protective spell.
To continue the fight, or to choose to flee...
As a member of the mystical community, she was also aware of Nicole.
In the city of Berenwich, with a population of several hundred thousand, the total number of people involved in the mystical side amounted to the scale of a thousand, and the Investigative Bureau, the highest authority’s magical enforcement tool, was well-known to all.
In such circumstances, it was only natural for Nicole, who dealt with various matters on the front line, to become well-known in the circle.
— A powerful Caster using runes.
This was almost universally recognized by all involved with the mystical side in Berenwich.
By Nicole’s abilities, she was undoubtedly a genius Caster.
Had it not been for her recent joining of the Investigative Bureau, she would certainly have entered its upper echelons, becoming a heavyweight with real power.
Therefore, even though her spell had ensnared Nicole in an illusion, the woman did not dare to press her advantage.
She feared any action of hers could cause the investigator in front of her to break free from the illusion.
Without the advantage of a surprise attack, she did not see herself as a match for Nicole.
The Investigative Bureau usually operated in pairs of old and new, or in groups of three ordinary investigators.
Glancing over at Ronald, who stood still on the spot, the middle-aged woman had already made her judgment.
Given Nicole’s abilities, this young man must be the rookie investigator she was mentoring. Unprepared for such sudden combat, a newbie to the Bureau likely couldn’t make the right tactical judgment.
She had ample time to escape and conclude matters by dealing with this guy.
With a single flick of her hand, the green blood on the woman’s arm sliced through the air towards the opposite side.
The hallucinogenic blood landed precisely on Ronald’s chest.
Then, at the moment the woman felt assured and started to turn to leave,
Her figure stiffened.
Being a Caster, she should have been fully aware of the effects of her spells.
Yet, in the house, at that moment, only Nicole was still caught in an illusion, with no sign of a successful spellcasting feedback on the other male investigator!
In an instant, the air in the mansion fell into silence.
The middle-aged woman was uncertain of what Ronald was capable of.
Her blood had made contact with him, so why hadn’t it had any effect?
Was it magical protection?
Or some unseen force taking effect?
Are all the agents at the Investigation Bureau this ruthless now?
Two elites working together, not bothering about the waste of combat power, huh!
The woman’s eyes began to drift around the room as she rapidly analyzed the situation.
What could help her overcome the person in front of her?
Should she, like her previous fight with Nicole, charge forward and use her own blood to render the opponent unconscious...
Now that her defeat was inevitable, it was most important to preserve her life.
In the time it took for two or three breaths, she could definitely escape!
With that, the woman didn’t hesitate to jump to the side.
Relying on her familiarity with the house she’d lived in for years, she was confident in escaping.
Standing on the other side of the room,
Ronald was taken aback by the woman’s choice to flee.
Seeing her fierce expression, he had thought she would fight him to the death.
But now, with just a shift of her gaze, she was ready to run?
He shook his head resignedly and stopped his nearly inaudible chanting.
It wasn’t convenient to use the power of the "sin" of Greed.
Although this power could absolutely kill the opponent,
under these circumstances, the spectacle it created upon ending the fight would be too vast.
As time approached noon, even residential areas began to see many people going about.
If anyone witnessed it, that would directly breach the fundamental principle of secrecy in the mystical realm.
Of course, this did not mean he would simply let things slide.
The original text he had summoned was still hidden in his wide sleeve.
Verses from "Divine Comedy" depicting Hell were recited by Ronald:
The dark waters flowing downward, to the base of the dim and steep cliffs.
I stopped to stare intently,
Seeing the swamp full of people, covered in mud,
All naked and seemingly consumed with fury..."
Green blood dropped to the floor in front of Ronald.
Following that, waves of black fog slipped from his feet, surging out and spreading rapidly around him.
The indiscriminate fog engulfed everything in the room, and the "sin" of Fury quickly swallowed all that was in sight.
In the blink of an eye, the whole room was coated with a layer of black paint.
Everywhere she looked was dull blackness.
If the woman were still here, she would realize that it wasn’t that her spell was ineffective.
The moment her blood—a medium for casting spells—came into contact with Ronald’s body,
the black fog hidden beneath his clothes had already obscured all those things.
Standing alone in the room, Ronald looked at the green mass before him.
Inside the entire mansion, only Nicole and he were not enveloped in the black fog.
These were the sole elements that retained color other than black.
Thinking for a moment, Ronald waved his hand again.
The curtains by the window were pulled over the glass by the black fog, and the house, already dark as night,
seemed to have truly become Hell!