An explosion from the left side, a little farther away, was heard. Grabbing Kaela by the hand, he ran with her behind a house as a hooded person was sent flying upward, split in half.
'Looks like the guards have already started doing their job.'
That was why he came here with confidence. Besides the enemies at most reaching circle five, the city guards in the story managed to protect most of the citizens, with only five deaths. But those deaths were important for the villainess that would be born from this moment, which was why he came to this part of the city.
"Professor, what's happening?"
"Looks like an attac—wait, why are you calling me professor?"
"Well, you trained the three of us, didn't you? And then you sent training letters to each of us. That's something professors with students do."
If that was the case, then he would be full of students by now. Seeing her again, it had been a while since he last saw her. In truth, he was interested in her hidden power since the first time he laid eyes on her.
'This girl is strange. How did that being do this with her magic?'
[Indeed, up until where I am in the story, no one else like her has appeared.]
But he didn't have time after the class battle, so he simply sent training letters to her and the other two.
"We need to help the civilians, so tell me, what level have you reached?"
"Thanks to professor, I managed to reach circle two yesterday."
Enrico was surprised, but not too much, since when the students of class S are on vacation, that's when they usually reach circle two. And with her potential, it wasn't surprising.
"Congratulations, that means you can defeat most of class A."
"Yes, when vacation ends, I'll challenge someone, since I can't fall behind Sisaka."
"So her too? Good work to both of you."
Kaela didn't seem to like hearing her rival praised. With a sound behind them, Enrico saw a hooded person trying to attack a woman who looked like she hadn't eaten in days.
'That must be the mother.'
"Charged Impulse."
With his feet exploding in flames, he managed to quickly rescue the woman and calmly place her on the other side of the street.
"Who are yo—"
"Flame Fist!"
"Guh—!"
Hearing the words, Enrico looked surprised at Kaela, whose fists were burning with flames as she struck the hooded man in the face, making him spit blood as he was thrown aside. His surprise wasn't at her being able to use that magic, but rather that she wanted to follow that path. Fire mages usually preferred long-range, and Enrico followed both long-range and close-range paths.
[Looks like the girl is following in your footsteps.]
"Kaela, I hope you didn't focus only on that magic."
"Of course not, I managed to complete that spell from the letter."
"Good work."
The hooded one stood up, revealing he was the same age as them. Wiping the blood from his mouth, a slash of wind shot from his hand toward Kaela, who managed to dodge while speaking to him.
"Hey, aren't you too young to be doing this nonsense?"
"Shut up and di—"
The boy was struck in the face by Enrico, who used a zero impact that knocked him unconscious immediately.
"Do you know what they are?"
"I don't, but from the brooch they're wearing, it must be something dangerous."
He was lying. Of course he knew, since this was their first appearance in the story, and their hideout was never revealed. Among them all, they were extremely problematic, because these people were from the Cult Circle of Shadows, who dedicated their lives to the evil god Umbryel, the Whisper in the Shadows, where with each massacre they committed, his Vessel grew stronger.
Today was their first appearance, but also one of the weakest, as this attack was a test for cult novices. Enrico crouched down and took a brooch bearing the symbol of a dark forest. Standing up, he showed it to Kaela.
"I've never seen this symbol before."
"Large Fireball!"
The two felt a surge of mana coming from behind, and a large fireball came at them. Judging by the level, it must have been from someone of the third circle. Both of them stepped back, preparing to dodge, until they heard a voice conjuring an even bigger fireball, made by Platina.
"Are you okay, little brother?"
Her attack ended up swallowing the other fireball. That person was thrown to the ground with half her clothes burned, revealing a girl who seemed to be enjoying the destruction around her.
"Thanks for the help, Miss Platina."
Platina's eyes looked disappointed at him for not thanking her by calling her big sister. She had been waiting for the right moment to interfere and be seen as his heroine.
"You're strong, and we seem to be at the same level."
"I don't think that attack was at the same level as me."
"That was only because those two were very weak. In truth, I'm a circle four."
Seeing that girl, Platina was certain she wasn't lying, so she decided to warn Enrico that it was true.
"I see, but you can handle her, since you're a prodigy of the fourth circle."
Liking the confidence placed in her, she quickly explained that she had met Valerio and that he had gone to the center of the barrier to see what was happening.
"For some reason, Taíra decided to follow you. I put her inside a shop seventy meters to the left, along with a girl. I want you to go there and protect her."
"Alright, and be careful in your fight. Kaela, help me watch if there's anyone in the way while I carry her."
"Right, professor!"
The two ran off while Enrico carried that woman on his back. Looking seriously at her opponent, Platina formed a fire barrier encircling the two of them, leaving the girl in front surprised.
"That barrier is of good level."
"Yes, it is. And I'll only take this barrier down when you're dead."