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Just as Luca was deep in thought.

A voice suddenly interrupted him from the alley. "You two, stop right there," came the cold command.

Luca and Tia turned toward the source of the voice.

A figure dressed in black armor, wielding a longsword, was walking toward them. It was Ian.

Had they been discovered?

Luca and Tia both felt a jolt of alarm.

They hadn\'t made any obvious mistakes, so why was this guy suddenly following them?

Though wary, Luca kept his composure and feigned confusion. "What business do you have with us, Sir Ian?"

Tia, on the other hand, was already on high alert, ready to act at any moment.

Ian\'s expression was calm as he silently studied Tia for a moment, nodding slightly to himself.

Though she was a bit older, her appearance and figure weren\'t bad. She fit perfectly with his young master\'s tastes.

"You\'ll come with me. Young Master Harvis wants to see you," Ian commanded, pointing directly at Tia. His tone was domineering and left no room for negotiation.

Luca was momentarily stunned, but quickly pieced together what was going on.

So Tia had caught the eye of this Harvis fellow!

Luca found the situation a little absurd. Sure, Tia looked decent, but she was old enough to be Harvis\'s mother. Did this guy really have such a peculiar taste?

Tia\'s expression was a mix of frustration and disbelief. She never expected to get caught up in this kind of trouble.

When neither of them moved, Ian\'s face darkened.

He slowly drew his sword, and sharp, oppressive sword energy began swirling around him.

His eyes cold, Ian spat, "Didn\'t you understand what I said?"

The pressure of a Diamond-level powerhouse exploded outward, crashing down on them like a tidal wave.

But what happened next took Ian by surprise.

The two "ordinary" merchant spouses standing before him didn\'t so much as flinch under his immense pressure.

If they were regular people—or even low-level professionals—their legs should have buckled by now.

Unless... they weren\'t ordinary at all!

A flicker of caution crossed Ian\'s mind just as the shadows surrounding the alley began to shift and writhe. In an instant, the shadows formed into a massive hand, which descended on Ian with unstoppable force!

Boom!

A nearby house was instantly crushed into rubble beneath the giant shadow hand, leaving a massive imprint on the ground.

"What did you just say? I didn\'t quite catch that. Care to repeat yourself?" Tia\'s violet hair whipped in the air as she stared down Ian, her beautiful eyes filled with murderous intent.

"A Diamond-level shadow mage?!" Ian shot into the air, looking at Tia with utter shock.

He had never imagined that this seemingly delicate and pleasant woman was actually a high-level powerhouse, one whose strength rivaled his own!

Realization dawned on him, and his expression turned incredibly grim. "What do you know?!"

There was no way a powerful figure like her would disguise herself as a mere merchant for no reason. They must have discovered something. If their plan was compromised, all their efforts would be wasted, and the Mora family would be plunged into a catastrophe from which they might never recover.

That was something Ian could not allow to happen.

Tia didn\'t respond to Ian but instead turned to Luca and respectfully said, "Master, you should go ahead. I\'ll take care of this one."

There was no point in hiding their strength any longer.

"Don\'t leave any loose ends," Luca nodded before turning to leave without hesitation.

Given Tia\'s abilities and profession, if she truly wanted to escape, even a Superclass expert would struggle to stop her.

Handling someone like Ian was no challenge at all.

Luca staying would only slow things down.

Watching Luca walk away so casually in front of him, Ian\'s restraint snapped, and the murderous intent on his face became uncontrollable. Sword energy surged around him, and with a shout, he slashed his sword toward Luca\'s back.

The sharp silver sword energy tore through the air, arching toward Luca, and if it hit, Luca would be cleaved in two instantly.

Tia snorted coldly. Without moving much, she waved her hand, and shadows rose from the ground like towering waves.

In an instant, they formed a black barrier, blocking the path of the incoming sword energy.

Shadow Mage high-level skill – Shadow Barrier!

Boom! The sword energy collided with the barrier, shattering into countless fragments of light.

Though the barrier cracked slightly, it held firm and didn\'t break.

Throughout the entire exchange, Luca didn\'t even glance back once, remaining as calm as ever.

This disregard only fueled Ian\'s rage, but there was little he could do.

Once a professional reached the high levels, the differences in talent and class became increasingly apparent.

Though Ian was gifted and had a strong profession, he was still leagues below someone like Tia, the future Nightmare Queen. Perhaps only someone like Luna could stand a chance against her.

Before long, Luca made it out of the alley. People on the street were already noticing the commotion.

"It looks like two high-level professionals are fighting over there!" people whispered, their eyes fixed on the black barrier that enveloped the entire area, blocking the battle from view. The tremors in the barrier hinted at the intensity of the fight within.

In Southwind City, causing trouble like this wouldn\'t go unnoticed for long—someone had already gone to alert the city guards.

Luca wasn\'t concerned about Tia. He knew she would find a way out. After a brief glance, he turned and left.

Finding a secluded spot, Luca removed the Shapeshifting Mask, returning to his original appearance.

He stepped out of the alley and flagged down a passing carriage.

He planned to head back to Red Maple Academy to inform Orf of his findings.

But before he could board the carriage.

An old man, small and shabby, hobbled toward him.

"Kind-hearted young man," the old man rasped, his clothes tattered and patched, with a foul odor emanating from his body. His face was marred by a rotting sore, and he limped as he walked. "I haven\'t eaten in three days, and I\'m so weak I can barely walk.

Could you spare me some coins so I can get a bite to eat?" The old man\'s appearance was anything but inviting—his sore-covered face twisted into a grotesque grin, making him look far from trustworthy.

Luca paused and looked at him for a moment, then smirked and said, "Well, you do seem pitiful, old man. Do you think 50,000 gold coins would be enough to fill your belly?"

The old man shook his head and sighed. "Young man, you\'re a bit stingy for someone your age. The last generous soul gave me 300,000 gold coins."

The carriage driver, watching the bizarre exchange between Luca and the old man, looked utterly confused. To him, it seemed like he was witnessing two lunatics having a conversation. He impatiently muttered, "Are you getting in or not? If not, I\'ll just—huh? Why does my neck feel itchy?"

Before the driver could finish his sentence, he muttered in confusion.

He reached up to scratch his neck, feeling something sticky. When he looked down, his hand was covered in blood.

The next thing he knew, his vision tilted, and everything seemed upside down.

Thud!

The driver tumbled off the carriage.

His head rolled like a ball, coming to a stop at the edge of a sewer grate. His eyes still filled with confusion.

The street fell into an eerie silence.

A large, burly woman nearby pointed a trembling finger at the severed head on the ground, her face flushed red as if something was caught in her throat. Then, the piercing sound of a terrified scream echoed through the air.

"Murder!!!" The crowd erupted in panic. People scrambled like ants, fleeing in every direction, their faces pale with terror.

Doors and windows slammed shut in rapid succession.

Within moments, the once-bustling street was deserted.

Shops were closed tight, and even the remaining carriages raced away in fear.

In the blink of an eye, only two figures remained—the old man and Luca.

Luca\'s mouth twitched slightly.

Damn it! Since when did assassins get so bold and brazen?

The old man stood there, casually holding a silver wire, still dripping with blood, as he smiled faintly. "No need to be scared, young man. My steel wire is quick—you won\'t feel a thing."

How do you know it doesn\'t hurt? You\'ve never died before, have you?

Luca mentally scoffed and sighed. "At least let me know who sent you before I die, huh?"

"The client is Lina from the Franco family. I heard you killed her husband and son. She\'s offering 200,000 gold coins for your head, and if I kill you today, she\'s throwing in an extra 100,000," the old man said with no sense of professionalism.

"...Lady Lina, huh?" Luca licked his dry lips.

He had nearly forgotten about that woman, but here she was, hitting him with a surprise attack.

This old man didn\'t reveal his exact strength, but there was no doubt he was at least as powerful as Ian.

The old man began walking toward Luca, twirling the silver wires in his hand like snakes.

With a smile, he said, "Kid, you\'re just unlucky. I was wondering how to lure you out of Red Maple Academy, but here you are, strolling into the Outer District all by yourself. And there\'s even a high-level battle nearby causing a distraction.

"This money is as good as mine! So be a good boy and let me borrow your head for a bit. Once I finish this job, I can retire comfortably."

Despite his slow, casual tone, the old man moved with startling speed.

As soon as he finished speaking, three barely visible silver threads cut through the air.

Luca\'s sense of danger spiked, and without thinking, he jerked his head to the side.

Whoosh! Two of the silver wires grazed his cheek, drawing beads of blood.

A sharp, tearing pain erupted from his chest.

One of the wires had pierced through his chest, emerging from the other side, now completely stained with red.

"Shit! Should\'ve known better than to keep my pain perception at 100%!" Luca winced in agony.

The three wires had aimed for his head and heart—if he hadn\'t reacted quickly, he would\'ve been killed on the spot!

But now Luca understood the old man\'s profession.

The Stitcher!

A bizarre and rare profession!