Picking up stones to finish off the little lackey who hit him during the day wasn't entirely for revenge or to eliminate a witness.
It was more to test his current combat power.
The conclusion is: he still has a chance to lead Barbara and successfully break out from the "fire net" surrounding them from all sides.
This brand new "Water Soul Constitution" is very strong!
The change in mindset is directly reflected in his tone and attitude.
Andrew's tone and voice had once become cold.
Now it has become gentle again.
"Ah? Oh... oh."
The girl holding Barbara was still a little dazed.
Logically, seeing someone die right before her eyes, she should be screaming.
Yet for some reason, seeing Andrew's action, this girl wasn't too scared.
"What's going on exactly?"
The girl asked softly.
While asking, she supported Barbara and helped Andrew carry Barbara onto Andrew's back.
Andrew thought to himself he had just figured out a bit of the situation, and it wasn't clear enough to explain quickly.
After thinking it through, he whispered: "The town is not peaceful right now, and I can't explain it clearly. Anyway, don't go home yet. First, find a secluded place to hide."
This girl had previously been bullied by Flame Warrior Raymond, and Andrew thought that for his extinguishing business to be thorough, he should actually send this girl home to consider it done. But given the current situation in the town, it's really not permissible for him to do so. If the girl continues to follow him, it might actually put her in danger.
The girl paused, still wanting to ask: "What about you and this sister (Barbara)?"
But saw that Andrew had already carried Barbara far away at a speed that startled the girl.
The girl watched Andrew's back, stared blankly for a moment, then vaguely understood something.
She silently blessed with a thought: "Go for it, Andrew!"
Then she turned around, jogged to find a secluded corner as Andrew had suggested, and prepared to hide.
...
...
The last ray of sunlight finally disappeared completely at the junction of the desert and the sky.
Night fell.
The magic apprentices didn't manage to block Barbara at the town boundary line.
Thus, a small group started tracking outside the town.
Meanwhile, the vast majority of apprentices began a thorough search inside the town.
Like a net starting to close in.
And every rope constituting this net was burning with fire!
"...This girl is not as skinny as she looks."
Andrew was carrying Barbara, landing silently like a cat, and moving forward quietly.
Though Barbara was a bit heavier than he imagined, not the skinny type but rather had some flesh.
But this instead let Andrew realize: his "Water Soul Constitution's" load capacity is very good!
So, as he carried Barbara forward, he expanded his "Water Spirit Sensing" to preemptively detect the enemy's position, adjust his route in advance, and avoid them.
Meanwhile, Andrew deliberately oriented his sensing toward the Living People Cemetery he visited during the day.
"The 'Seed of the Water Spirit' planted in the Living People Cemetery, it seems I can't wait to break it open later."
Andrew thought, "Since I've decided to do this 'big leg of the big leg' now, then... let's let the seeds sprout ahead of time."
The Water Soul Constitution is excellent, Water Spirit Sensing is also excellent, but ultimately it's not the attacking type of Water Magic like "Water Needle."
Andrew had to prepare for the worst-case scenario and definitely needed an offensive water element magic. Like Water Needle for instance.
"By squeezing and breaking open the 'Seed of the Water Spirit' planted in the Living People Cemetery in advance, their effects should unlock a new water element magic from 'Tear of the Water God.'
This thought occurring, Andrew hesitated no longer, using "Water Spirit Sensing," exerted effort to sense his own water spirit seeds planted during the day within the cemetery residents.
Then... remotely crushed each seed!
Afterward, Andrew eliminated all distracting thoughts and went all out, carrying Barbara through the shrinking "Surrounding Fire Net's" openings one by one.
Toward the temporary campsite located in the northwest of the town!
Andrew didn't notice:
Barbara on his back had been tightly furrowing her brows even in her unconscious state, but at this moment, her brows had relaxed significantly.
Even a faint reassuring smile appeared at the corner of her lips.
Neither Barbara nor Andrew knew at this time: Hubert's pursuit of Barbara is just a "microcosm." The full picture is actually a long-planned "big operation" by the Magic Guild against the Warm Fire Commerce Association. Hubert catching Barbara alive is just a section, a phase of this big operation.
Now Wildfire Town is in chaos, and Barbara's situation is very unfavorable. Once she's captured, it would affect the bigger picture significantly.
"But... surely no one would have thought, there would be my presence as an invisible variable."
Andrew thought to himself.
Clearly being a mage, Andrew's physical ability seemed endless. Even while carrying someone on his back, his speed was only getting faster.
Accelerating, heading toward the temporary campsite.
...
...
The night breeze blew through the temporary campsite.
In the concepts of the magic apprentices conducting the search, this was the least likely choice for Barbara to make a breakthrough.
Even though the temporary campsite is also considered to be in the north of the town, and continuing north after leaving town for about thirty miles, there's the nearest city to Wildfire Town—Baal Town.
Yet not far outside the temporary campsite, there is a piece of quicksand.
That's like a quagmire in the desert; even the desolate beasts wouldn't dare to venture easily.
Only a fool would choose this dead-end as a route for a breakout!
So, when the whole Wildfire Town started to become chaotic due to the carpet search for Barbara.
When the "Fire Net" burned the entire Wildfire Town as if it were about to be charred outside and tender inside.
The temporary camp here, on the other hand, was temporarily not too affected.
For now.
"...Mom, why hasn't Andrew come back yet?"
Little Sophie looked eagerly at the camp entrance, waiting for a long time.
Aunt Sofia murmured "Hmm" rather distractedly, unusually not answering her daughter's words.
Since dusk, Aunt Sofia began to feel a vague unease.
Firstly, the commotion for capturing Barbara was growing.
Even at the camp, one could gradually hear the noise and disturbance coming from the town.
Secondly, Sofia deliberately went to see Ivan again today to thank him for the extra box of fruit.
She found: Ivan had unknowingly left, not at all in the tent!
"If you think about it, this year's 'Sand Tide' should be coming soon. Even if Ivan is a Desert Hunter, surviving in the Sand Tide is impossible. He had no reason to leave at this time!"
Aunt Sofia pondered in her heart, "Could it still be because of... Andrew?"
Her guess was entirely reasonable.
Because Andrew had just seen Ivan last night, and today Ivan was gone!
Making it only natural to think there was a causal relationship between the two.
"Mom, why hasn't Andrew come back yet?"
Little Sophie asked again, "Mom, Mom, did you hear what I said?"
Sofia absent-mindedly replied, "Hmm, should be back soon."
She was still mulling over, "Ivan deliberately sent an extra box of fruit and then left without a word, this is most likely related to Andrew! Now something's going on in the town, and Andrew hasn't returned, could something have happened to him..."
Sofia almost watched Andrew grow up, never thinking that the kind but somewhat timid child would achieve anything big.
But after last night's big fire, everything seemed to have changed.
Deep in Aunt Sofia's heart at this moment, there was even a vague thought: Could the commotion over there in the town also have something to do with Andrew?!
Oh no, did that child... go to seek revenge on Grand Mage Hubert?
This... this...
Aunt Sofia felt she figured something out.
But her face became slightly tense.
Though Andrew saved little Sophie, Aunt Sofia was grateful for life, willing to repay Andrew with anything, even become his slave.
But if Andrew went to provoke Hubert again...
Aunt Sofia frowned tightly.
She was, after all, a mother, and maternal love is often selfish.
If Andrew indeed provoked Hubert again, bringing trouble to the temporary camp—
"Ah! Mom..."
Little Sophie spoke again.
"Alright, Sophie, be quiet."
Aunt Sofia said softly, a bit irritated.
Little Sophie feeling aggrieved, "But... but I just wanted to say... Andrew came back."
Aunt Sofia was startled, quickly looked toward the camp entrance, but it was empty. Where was anybody?
"Mom, it's over there." Little Sophie pointed to the right.
Aunt Sofia looked again and finally saw: In the twilight, a figure like a lithe cat swiftly crossed the seemingly simple yet solid defense fence around the camp, entered, and lowered their center of gravity, silently coming forward.
Was it... Andrew?
Truth be told, Aunt Sofia didn't recognize him at first glance.
Thinking that such coordinated physical skill, how could it be Andrew?
Compared to when he left the camp this morning, Andrew had obviously changed again.
Under starlight, Aunt Sofia watched the quickly arriving Andrew, instinctively scrutinizing.
Then, naturally, in her mind emerged this word: fresh.
"Oh no, what am I thinking? Andrew is still a child."
Aunt Sofia scolded herself.
But right after the scolding, another word came to her mind: delicious.
"Wh-What the hell? What's happening to me?!"
Aunt Sofia was dumbfounded by her thoughts, "Even if I couldn't find Ivan today, I shouldn't have weird thoughts about the girl's savior."
What she didn't know yet—though Andrew himself also didn't know—is that this was simply a natural change brought by the "Water Soul Constitution."
Although this ability of "Water Soul Constitution" seems unbefitting a mage—but... after gaining the Water Soul Constitution, Andrew indeed became fresh and delicious.
The change in aura was entirely magic-level!
So essentially, there was nothing wrong with Aunt Sofia; she was only experiencing the most normal reaction a woman could have.
The subtle yet huge change in appearance, especially in aura, directly led Andrew's charm toward the opposite sex to soar straight up.
So much so, that it wasn't until Andrew snuck back into the camp smoothly, making a hush gesture to Sofia and her daughter.
And then gestured them both inside the tent—
Aunt Sofia realized: Andrew hadn't returned alone.
This made Aunt Sofia's heart sink.
Instinctively sensing the aura of trouble, even danger!
And as a strong mother raising her daughter alone in this harsh Flame Realm, her core principle was: Keeping trouble and danger away from her daughter.