As the alley's dark walls and patinaed windows flashed in his peripheral view, Arthur kept racing toward the end of the alley away from the excruciating dread of being captured after what he heard. With his current explosive speed, he reached the end in an instant.

"Nowhere to run now!" The woman descended behind him and was only a few meters away. Arthur didn't stop at the end of the alley and simply kept rushing forward. From an outsider's point of view, Arthur was simply mad. However, before he reached the wall by a few inches, he disappeared into the shadows on the wall and reemerged from the other side.

"What the, wait!" The woman was stunned before she screamed again. Arthur could hear her surprise even despite her accent.

'Are you mad? As if I'll wait just for you to grill me alive!' Arthur thought to himself as he found himself inside an apartment.

He had no luxury of feeling apologetic for intruding on this home. He dashed toward the door and crashed into it, breaking through. At the same time, he felt the whole building shake as a crumbling sound came from behind him.

'No way,' He looked behind him and he could see a shadow lunge itself at him from the dust cloud the broken wall left behind. 'Shit,' His protections runes activated on its own as he tried to dodge being cuffed by the giant hand that had reached out for him. To his amazement, the hand was black-tainted and had sharp, claws-like, nails. If this thing even scratched his head, he would have a head no longer.

The protection runes broke as Arthur miserably rolled on the side. It had been more the work of luck than skill that his head was still intact. Arthur started his sprint again as he heard the sound of running water nearby.

'A canal?' He saw a silver lining of losing his pursuer and Arthur jumped across a park toward the location of the water canal. There was a pavement on each side of the canal after a small strip of grass. Arthur stumbled down the grass and unto the pavement as he tried to jump into the water.

He couldn't move.

His leg was glued to the ground and Arthur looked down to see the face of the Ender grinning at him as he pulled on his legs. To his horror, Arthur realized that his clothes were eroding as they touched the black substance its hands radiated.

"Let go!" Arthur cried as he felt the pain slowly invade his leg. His fire rune appeared on his leg making the Ender let go of it and dissolve into the ground. Arthur tried to jump but it seems the Ender only tried to delay him, and it succeeded.

Before he could jump into the water, Arthur felt a strike on his back that made him fall on the ground with his face touching the pavement. His ribs felt like they were crushing as blood was involuntarily vomited.

"You rat, finally caught you." He heard the woman's voice from above him and he tried to struggle. However, she applied more strength to her leg and Arthur's efforts crumbled completely. His chest felt like it was getting crushed as a groan left his mouth.

Without thinking anymore, Arthur tried using his skill shadow swap again, tried being the keyword. The Ender was already holding onto him again not allowing him to blend into the shadows. As his mind raced, all of his skills and runes were useless at the moment.

'I guess I have no choice,' Arthur gritted his teeth as he decided to burn all of his mana for the briefest moment. This would bring him enough strength, hopefully, to break loose and dive in the water. Golden light enveloped Arthur as strength filled his body as he placed his hands on the ground and started pushing against the woman's leg.

"Oh?" She seemed genuinely surprised as if the rat proved itself to be a squirrel. "Not so fast," She applied greater strength with her leg that slammed Arthur back to the ground. However, he was still struggling.

Arthur gritted his teeth until he could taste his blood. His teeth rattled against each other as he felt like a mountain crushing his body. The only thing he could see was his hands trembling against the great force pinning him down.

"BURN!" He roared so loudly and desperately that his voice became hoarse. His mana disappeared like it never existed, supplying strength into his body.

For that briefest moment, Arthur was able to contend against the woman's strength and elbow her leg away from his back. As if he was drowning and now resurfaced, he gasped for breath as he tried to claw his way into the water, but there was no strength left to do anything.

"Not so fast," The woman's voice came from behind him; his body shuddered as the looming of death felt ever so close. It was then that something inside of him called out to his mana, to Arthur, to release it. As if it was also scared of dying, it reached out to his mana as it devoured it greedily, eating away what little mana he had. It demanded more, but more he didn't have. The area below his navel burned; he knew it was not because of his internal bleeding. It was something much more powerful.

Arthur let out a cry as violet and chaotic mana burst out from within him. The mana surrounded Arthur and he felt his body turn semi-ethereal. A memory flashed in his mind when he was alone with Dimon's body in the underground cave, stunned at the disappearance of the egg.

It was the Elusive Dragon helping him, he realized. No, it was defending its host.

A scythe, which was the woman's arm, slashed into Arthur's flesh. However, it passed through it as if Arthur no longer existed, only a projection of his physical body. Arthur could feel the mana trying to take him away, carry him into the spring's breeze, but it wasn't enough. After a while, it disappeared.

'More.'

Arthur could feel the dragon demanding mana, but he had none. If this was his only means of escape, he would use the Restore rune.

However, he can wave the Runes Apprentices Cup goodbye if he did. He would be unable to use mana for a day and would be unable to compete tomorrow. His life, however, was more important at the moment.

"Die already!" The woman spat and realized that the commotion would bring some unwanted attention from the citizens. Her hand elongated again into a dark scythe that descended on Arthur.

'Restore!'

BAM!

Moments before he used the rune, a punching sound echoed clearly throughout the canal's hollow space. A gust of wind followed shortly after, as if it was late to the scene. Arthur could see a figure bolt away like a broken kite in the corner of his eye. Before he could say anything, the woman was punched away and another pair of legs landed beside him.

It took moments to realize the change. The woman was above him no longer, a different person stood there. Arthur's eyes refocused as the Elusive Dragon receded, realizing its life was safe for now. As the chaotic energy disappeared, through labored breathing, Arthur got to look at the person offering him her hand.

"Sorry, we're late, newbie." She grinned; teeth as white as the stars behind her. She was older than him, probably as old as twenty-five. "Si sent us," She explained, seeing Arthur's look of confusion.

'Us?' Arthur wondered. It was then that a knife, filled with mana, lodged itself beside his hand. The mana seeped into the ground, attacking the Ender.

"What is that, so gross!" A high-pitched sound squeaked from behind the girl and Arthur could see a tall guy with light-pink hair. A throwing knife danced around his fingers as if it was a snake, skillfully making its way through them.

"I have no idea, wuss." The pixie-girl, turning her head around and making Arthur notice her short black hair, snorted in annoyance.

"Don't call me that in front of my junior! His respect for me would be ruined!" The guy crossed his arms and reprimanded after sliding the knife into his belt. He also made sure to raise his chin and protrude his shoulder for Arthur to see him better.

The Ender receded, and only the dust clouds the woman's collision with the pavement reminded Arthur they were still in danger.

"I can't walk," He said with slight embarrassment. However, the pixie-girl only nodded and turned toward the other guy.

"Pick him up, we're leaving." She said and the guy did as he was told. Arthur felt like a sandbag when the guy placed him on his broad shoulders.

"Oh my, poor thing. Just hang on for a while." The guy said gently, and Arthur felt cloyed by his tone.

"You're all dead meat!" The woman shrieked after jumping from the dust cloud, holding her bruised cheek. Her eyes glowed dangerously as hysteria and anger boiled in them. She wanted to say something more, but it seems someone called the cops when they heard the commotions as the sirens resounded in the group's ears.