Chapter 18
Previously, Clayton hadn't sensed any surveillance when entering the city center. But the moment he stepped beyond the outer ring of the city, that feeling hit him—like a pair of unseen eyes watching him from afar.
At first, he'd been relieved, thinking no one was tailing him. But now? Now he wanted to curse.
"Don't these people have anything better to do?" he grumbled inwardly. "Still spying on me even after I've left?"
Then something struck him. The aura of whoever was following him felt... different—not like any of the others he'd sensed before. Ever since he'd learned how to craft magic scrolls, his senses had grown sharper. Judging by his intuition and magical perception, Clayton estimated the stalker to be around the level of a three-star apprentice mage.
But instead of fear, a surge of excitement filled him. His anger still simmered beneath the surface—and now, finally, he had someone to unleash it on.
Good. You came to me, he thought.
Meanwhile, the two bandits watching from a distance heard Clayton's words, laced with bold arrogance. They exchanged baffled glances.
"Damn, this brat's full of himself," one muttered to himself. "A one-star apprentice mage, and he dares to look down on us?"
"Hey, kid!" the other shouted. "Let me show you what true despair feels like!"
"Earth Magic: Earth Pillar!"
Boom!