Chapter 208 - Sparks in the Streets

The non-hooded figure appeared to be just an ordinary man, but the blowgun that was wrapped around his hand, thanks to Eva’s wire, was clear evidence that he was not up to any good. From the angle as well, his target hadn’t appeared to be Syrus.

“Geoffrey, I got a present for you.” Syrus caught the man and quickly knocked him out. Threw a powerful healing potion down his throat and then tossed him to the guard. At this point in time, he very much wasn’t dead, and Anlesa would like it if it stayed that way. “Make sure he stays alive, and know if he dies, it isn’t my fault.”

Before he could question her, Syrus continued her assault and quickly knocked out everyone else from the gangs. Perhaps next time they wouldn’t commit such a stupid mistake on the level of provoking Syrus.

“Is this something that usually happens?”

“Of course not!” Geoffrey complained. “If you didn’t stir--”

“I’m going to stop you right there. I didn’t do shit. I was attacked by two different gangs at separate points, and you saw the consequences of one of those ambushes.” Syrus raised her arms and then spun around, pointing to the piles of unconscious bodies. “I am the innocent party in all of this.”

Geoffrey squinted at that declaration. While it was partly true, it was hard to process exactly when there were piles of bodies across the ground, all thanks to the same innocent individual.

“Hold it, hold it, hold it!” A loud, annoying guy yelled as a squad of guards marched into the area.

Syrus asked, “So, are they friends of yours?”

Geoffrey, “That would be more accurate this time than the last time you asked.”

“A disturbance has been reported. Your unsanctioned killings won’t go unpunished.”

[Wow, jumping the log by a river.] (Syrus)

[This isn’t laughing matters.] (Luna)

[I know, probably some plants, but everything will be fine.] (Syrus)

[If you say so.] (Luna)

[Yeah, worst case we just need to blow them all away.] (Syrus)

[Syrus!] (Luna)

“Killing? Please, have you checked all these people? Not a single one is dead.” Syrus added, “Are you blind or bad at your job, because only one of those options has a valid excuse.”

“You! How dare you tell such a blatant lie!” After more of his yelling, he seemed to have finally noticed Geoffrey. “Guard Geoffrey, go behind and arrest that woman.”

“That might be difficult, Sir... she has escort protection, and she is right. No one here is dead.” Geoffrey was running between the bodies earlier, trying to make sure everyone was okay. It was almost terrifying how efficient Syrus was in knocking all these people out. It would’ve been much easier to kill them than to incapacitate them.

“Don’t just believe her lies!” He turned to me around him, “Go and check the bodies already.” 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

“And you!” He pointed at Syrus. “You better not move!”

[Doesn’t he get tired of yelling?] (Eva)

His intimidating yelling was backfiring at attention to the area. Some people were already looking down the street because of the fighting noise, but now that the guards were here—meaning the area was safe—everyone who was cautious staying back was now eager to see what had happened.

The guards looked over the bodies with held breaths. This many people on the ground weren’t exactly a normal sight for them, either and despite Geoffrey’s words that they were alive. They couldn’t help but see these people as corpses on the ground. However, after they slowly went over the bodies, the head of the guard unit was growing impatient.

For the first time, he didn’t yell. “Why are you so slow? Do I need to do everything myself in Unit 6?”

Syrus noticed the small finches and the purposeful change in the unit’s head speaking pattern.

One of the guards crouched down to a defenceless gang member, as before, his hand went to check the pulse, but as it did, it slid past the pocket on his pants.

“Argh!” A metal wire strangled the man’s arm, and he was pulled back.

Blood could be seen beginning to drip as the wire was held tight, and within his arm was a small knife.

Syrus said, “Pulling out a knife on a defenceless idiot? Was that really going to work? I haven’t even used any bladed weapons.”

On the inside, Eva was livid. They had dealt with so much bullshit, and this was the best they could do?! She wasn’t just angry that they did a bad job at trying to pin the crime on her. If anything, that was the smallest portion of the rage she was feeling. It made her upset before when she watched people die in front of her when dealing with the masked men, poisoning themselves or each other. But this... trying to murder someone just to pin the blame.

[Syrus....] Eva’s emotions practically growled with anger.

So, what if they were people from a gang, from their learnings, they didn’t get into much trouble and any violence was usually done against other gangs. Not saying that was good, but the average age for these people was on the younger side, and Eva felt they just needed a little help to get back on the right path.

The guard could hear the murmurs from the crowd at the ends of the street. Syrus, despite not being loud with her counter, it was perfectly clear for everyone to hear.

Veins bludged on his head. “How dare you suggest such a thing?”

“I didn’t suggest anything. I merely stated a very clearly visible fact.”

“You!” His anger raged to a point, and Luna was wondering how in god’s name a person like this was selected to lead any team.

Geoffrey watched the situation with deep confusion and wanted to do something, but he knew something was happening that he wasn’t aware of. So, he decided to do what he thought was correct and listen to Syrus and make sure this individual stayed alive. From the series of events, Geoffrey assumed that he was just another member of the gang who tried to attack her from the window, but with how quickly this situation went from weird to concerning made him think otherwise.

Anlesa suddenly heard someone scream from the end of the street as the guard launched a blast of flames towards her.

[His patience died so fast.] (Syrus)

The guard that shot flames towards Syrus made what could be the stupidest move known to man.

“That measly ember is supposed to be on fire?” As the streak of flames moved towards her, Syrus did a simple swipe of her hand, and a blaze of fire emerged which swallowed the weaker flame leaving her completely unharmed. “Do you want to see a true fire?”

Syrus clicked her finger three times, almost the stone of flint sparking, then on the final click, a small fire emerged, floating in her hand. It was tiny compared to the guard’s flame and the one she summoned earlier.

As the guard was about to call her pathetic, his heart froze as the fire became brighter.

The small flame within Syrus’s hand burned brighter, and raging heat could be felt in the whole area. She was working with Eva to create the result. She was performing something very similar when she used her advanced techniques, but instead of perfectly controlling the flames around her sword like with her Flame Coat-Red Blade technique or when she stuffed fire mana within the weapon itself, Flame Furnace. This time, she was creating the containing with Eva’s mana. Comparatively, it was far weaker than either of those other techniques and required the concentration of two of the trio.

“What... are you doing...!” The man stumbled back as he feared the power those flames possessed. He was the only other one who had the Fire Attribute, and so he knew best what he was seeing was far beyond ordinary.

But in a situation like this, it was doing a perfect job.

Everyone else didn’t need a personal understanding of the Fire mana to know that thing was an ordinary summon of flames. The type of spell could only be guessed, but even the people who had seen magic fire before, they hadn’t felt such heat from it.

“Was your first thought something on the line that this flame is weak?” Syrus took a step closer. “If that is the case.” Her hand moved forward. “Would you like to hold it?”

He tripped onto the ground at Syrus’s suggestion; in his eyes that flame was demonic and a death sentence.

“Guard, what is your opinion on the status of these people?”

The guard who was on the ground closest to Syrus replied. “They are people from the Capple Cup, Bridge Street, and Doodle Day gangs. All are currently unconscious, and none are dead.”

Geoffrey added, “Guards from different units can confirm the status of the people.”

“Thank you.” Syrus’s hand closed slightly, but the fire still burned as she slowly released its heat. The only way to make it immediately disappear would be for it to explode, and that would be dangerous.

“Now, if you don’t mind me, I’m going to continue my walk.” Syrus confidently walked past the guards with the slowly shrinking flame in hand, and not a single person tried to stop her.