Bang!
Just before her punch connected with his back, an earthen energy covered his body. However…
Crack!
Bang!
It shattered like a brittle glass just a split second later and her punch landed on the young man's back, sending him hurtling through the air for over 50 meters before he crashed onto the ground, creating a small crater.
"What?!"
Everyone gaped at the scene, stunned, especially those who knew the young man's identity. They were stunned not only because she dared to attack him openly but also because she easily overpowered him.
Max was also surprised, but the reason behind his surprise differed from others.
He could discern Amara's punch packed strength comparable to or stronger than an early-stage, three-star attack, however… despite him being taken off guard, the young man didn't seem to take much damage.
'He should be a mid-stage three-star, strength type mage, an elite among the inner disciples.' He mused.
Cough!
The young man coughed, spitting out some blood before slowly getting up. His eyes, which were calm a moment before, were now burning with extreme anger.
After becoming a three-star mage and entering the ranking of top inner disciples, whenever he went, he always received people's respect and adoration. Never once was he humiliated like today.
How could someone like him not be angry? He was so angry that he wanted to tear Amara limb from limb. However…
Despite the fact that he was taken off guard, as an elite disciple, he could tell that wasn't this beautiful girl's full strength. Heck, it was far from it because he could feel an intense danger from her, which he didn't feel even when he was facing some core disciples.
Just as everyone thought there would be a good battle to watch, the young man glanced at his lackey, who was staring at him dumbly, and said, "Come down. We'll take next eagle."
People were disappointed, and some even started booing that he had a false reputation.
Amara, who wanted to attack again, was stopped by Max when the young man admitted defeat. Dissatisfied, she directed an angry glare at the man before returning to Max's side.
Max glanced at the young man before turning to the eagle's owner. "Shall we go?"
"Ah? Yes, sir."
Then the eagle took off and flew toward the peak of the cloud mountain.
Meanwhile, the young man left below looked at the vanishing eagle with apprehension in his eyes.
'I have a feeling even if she isn't as strong as strong as miss Adrienne, she isn't much weaker in comparison.' He felt chills run down his spine at this thought.
How strong was Adrienne? She was so strong that she could fight multiple peak stage three-star mages without being at a disadvantage. She was so strong that very few dared to meet her in battle. But he got the same sense of danger from a random girl. This was too terrifying.
'There are many people stronger than me in the same age group. I can't be too arrogant.' He thought and calmed down.
His lackey looked at him with a confused look and asked, "Sir, Gale. Why didn't you teach her a lesson? How dare she sneak attack you?"
Gale looked at the man as though he was an idiot before straightforwardly saying, "I'm no match for her. Not to mention there was that man, too. I couldn't see through him at all."
Mr. lackey's eyes opened wide in disbelief when he heard him admit he was inferior to Amara.
He wasn't surprised because he was the weaker party, since it was evident from that single attack. However, he was surprised because his ever so prideful sir Gale, who didn't back down against the nobles' oppression even when he was just a two-star mage, admitted his inferiority so readily.
Looking at his disbelieving expression, Gale smiled. "Pride begets arrogance, which often leads us to our downfall. After gaining a little strength, I also started acting like the noble kids who I despise so much. Thankfully, I realized this before it was too late."
Finished speaking, he sighed inwardly. 'However, it's a pity I couldn't become friends with that beauty.'
Swoosh!
As the eagle flew toward the cloud peak, other passengers kept giving the furtive glances while murmuring among themselves. However, none dared to approach them.
As Max watched the beautiful mountain scenery down below, and felt the cool breeze kiss his face as the eagle flew at high speeds, he couldn't help but wish to have a flying beast of his own.
'Too bad that golden winged python's egg was lost with that old bastard's death or it would've been an amazing beast companion.'
He sighed, feeling a little depressed. Ever since he bought the egg, he had been looking forward to its hatching. However, who knew things would change so drastically?
Fortunately, the egg wasn't damaged, and it was resting in the underground palace somewhere in the endless ocean.
How did he know this? The system told him, of course. Unfortunately, it couldn't bring it back, nor could it tell the exact location of the underground palace.
Seeing him sigh, Amara curiously asked, "What are you thinking, Master?"
"Eh?"
Because she didn't keep her voice low, and everyone was sitting not too far from her, they heard her clearly and exclaimed in astonishment.
"She… she is this guy's subordinate?"
"A powerful three-star, noble looking mage is his subordinate? So unfair! He doesn't seem anything extraordinary, apart from being a little handsome." A young man exclaimed.
"He must be a young master of some big family." Someone else said with envy.
"Shh! Keep your voices down, or do you also want to get beaten up?"
…
Amara frowned when she heard their muttering, but didn't say anything since Max had signaled her to ignore them.
Max glanced at them and smiled wryly in his heart, 'They are not wrong to underestimate me since I look like so harmless.'
'No, I can't let this go on. I need to make develop my aura and make it domineering and oppressive like Orlan's.' He decided.
Now that he was a three-star mage, he could utilize his aura and even train it through special methods, even though it was very difficult because of the aura was an intangible force of energy.
"We have arrived, sir." He suddenly heard the eagle owner's voice, announcing their arrival at the cloud peak.
