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The blade, however, was mere millimeters from her neck.

"Gotcha!" Alex snapping her fingers. A burst of flame illuminated the alley, revealing her attacker.

It was a humanoid figure, shrouded in darkness. No, calling it a shadow was more accurate. Its entire form was pitch black, the blade in its hand an extension of its body. It had no discernible face, only two glowing red eyes peering from its featureless head.

The firelight cast its flickering shadow on the ground, but the shadow was amorphous, a shapeless blob.

It could clearly conceal itself within shadows, merging seamlessly with the darkness.

Even now, with the creature completely immobilized, Alex couldn\'t sense its presence. It was like trying to sense a void.

After all, who could sense a shadow?

"What a freaky creature. But I\'ll figure you out soon enough," Alex muttered, her gaze fixed on the shadowy figure.

She had no intention of questioning it. This creature was unlike anything she had ever encountered. Releasing her spatial lock, even for a moment, would give it a chance to escape, rendering all her efforts pointless.

Killing it was the best course of action. At least the system would tell her what it was.

But it seemed to be a dark entity, lacking a physical form. Ordinary attacks wouldn\'t work.

Her left eye glowed blue, and she unleashed a powerful soul attack. The shadowy figure dissolved instantly.

As the last vestiges of darkness faded, Alex was certain it was dead. No creature, regardless of its form, could exist without a soul.

[Congratulations! You have slain a lv1 Monarch Shadowling. You have gained 110 experience points.]

"Shadow Race?"

Alex blinked in surprise. It was a race she had never heard of. And judging by its power, it should have been a powerful race.

But she had never encountered any mention of shadow race in her dealings with the other powerful races.

Shadowling, upon death, left behind neither a physical body nor a soul.

If there was a corpse, a fragment of the soul would linger, allowing for undead summoning even after a soul-based death.

But without a physical form, the shattered soul simply dissipated.

Now that Alex knew what she was dealing with, she had to inform the general.

She would advise him to instruct the townsfolk to keep their lights on at night, to maintain a well-lit environment. It would make it harder for the shadow race to infiltrate their homes.

And it would give her a chance to intercept them.

Then, she would return to Yellowrock City and consult with the vice president. As an Emperor level mage, he would surely know something about Shadowlings.

...

By the time Alex returned to the inn, dawn was breaking.

Ruby, who had been waiting up for her, perked up as she saw Alex enter.

"You\'re back! What happened?"

"I killed one, but I\'m not sure how many more are lurking around. They\'re called Shadowling. Ever heard of them?"

Ruby thought for a moment. Her mother had drilled her with all sorts of knowledge from a young age, grooming her to be the next clan leader.

And her father had regaled her with tales of the outside world, expanding her horizons despite her sheltered upbringing in the far north.

But she shook her head.

"A race that powerful shouldn\'t be so obscure. Maybe they\'re not from the Eldoria continent."

"You might be right."

Alex changed her clothes and crawled back into bed.

"I\'m beat. I need to catch some Z\'s. If you\'re hungry, go grab some grub. It\'s almost dawn. They won\'t be active during the day. And after losing one of their own, they\'ll probably lay low for a while."

Alex buried her head under the pillow and fell asleep instantly.

Ruby, having stayed up all night, was famished. She headed downstairs for breakfast.

The innkeeper, his face pale and drawn, was hovering nervously in the main hall. He practically jumped for joy when he saw Ruby, as if her presence had banished all his fears.

"Oh man, and could you have those two bodies upstairs removed? We took care of the creature. We\'re terribly sorry about their deaths," Ruby said, her sensitive nose wrinkling at the thought of spending another night with the scent of blood lingering in the air.

"Y-yes, of course! Thank you, honored mages!" the innkeeper stammered, his relief palpable.

He hurried off to summon two employees to handle the gruesome task.

"Did I say that right? Is that how humans talk?" Ruby wondered as she left the inn.

...

[Night retreats, dawn arrives.]

After Alex\'s encounter with the shadow race, peace returned to Clayton City. There were no more attacks, no more beastly distractions.

But the townsfolk remained wary, keeping their lights burning brightly at night, their fear of the shadows lingering.

"Was it really just that one Shadowling causing all the trouble?" Alex wondered, her brow furrowed in thought.

It seemed too simple. Surely it hadn\'t just stumbled into Clayton City by accident.

The general had mentioned that other border cities were experiencing similar disturbances.

But it was wartime, and communication between cities was restricted. The generals only had contact with their superiors.

Even the Clayton City general was unaware of the situation in other cities.

Alex had mastered the mid-level earth magic book, her skills honed to perfection.

With some free time on her hands, she and Ruby decided to explore the city, experiencing its local culture. But as a border city, it wasn\'t exactly a bustling metropolis.

After a day of sightseeing, they hadn\'t found anything particularly noteworthy. There were no powerful families vying for control, as Alex had initially assumed.

The wealthy residents were mostly merchants, their families content with their businesses, avoiding unnecessary conflicts.

...

Time flew by, and their departure day arrived.

"Honored Magus, the general requests your presence at a dinner tonight, as a token of gratitude for restoring peace to Clayton City," a soldier announced, bowing respectfully before Alex and Ruby.

Alex wasn\'t keen on attending, but Ruby\'s pleading eyes swayed her decision.

It was their last day in Clayton City. Who knew when they would return?

"Alright, we\'ll be there."

"Excellent!" the soldier exclaimed, rushing off to inform the general.

"You only agreed because of the food," Alex said, rolling her eyes at Ruby.

"You\'re the best, Alex!" Ruby chirped, her smile widening.

They continued their leisurely stroll through the city.

Despite its small size, the townsfolk were incredibly welcoming, greeting them with smiles.

To them, mages were revered figures. And Alex and Ruby\'s approachable demeanor only enhanced their popularity.

...

Meanwhile, a hundred miles north of Clayton City, a lone figure stood amidst a desolate wasteland, the scorching sun beating down mercilessly.

He gazed towards Clayton City, his eyes narrowed.

Several shadowy figures, Shadowlings, stood beside him.

The Shadowling that had attacked Clayton City three nights ago hadn\'t been alone. Another one had been lurking in the shadows, observing the situation. When its comrade fell, it had retreated, returning to this man with the news.

The Shadowlings gathered here were responsible for harassing the border cities. He had summoned them all to this location.

The surviving Shadowling hadn\'t seen Alex clearly, so it couldn\'t gauge her strength.

But the man was certain she was a Monarch.

He knew the number of King level mages in Yellowrock City. He was aware of their locations. The mage in Clayton City couldn\'t be a King. A high-level Monarch, at most. That explained how she had defeated a lv1 Monarch Shadowling so easily.

"Strange. Why would a mage be stationed in a small border town? Well, you won\'t be leaving that city alive," he muttered, his voice laced with venom.

It was daytime. Attacking now would be disadvantageous for the Shadowlings. He would wait until nightfall.

He doubted the mage could identify them, but he couldn\'t risk it. She had to die, even if it meant disobeying his superiors\' orders.

"Merge!" he commanded the Shadowlings.

The shadowy figures dissolved, merging into a single, amorphous blob on the ground.

The shadows swirled and coalesced, forming a new Shadowling, its aura radiating power.

The man smiled, satisfied. This King level Shadowling would surely eliminate the mage.

...

Night fell, and Alex and Ruby arrived at the palace for the dinner, as promised.

The gathering was small, consisting of the general, a few high-ranking officials, and no one else.

"Honored Magus, please, take a seat," the general said, gesturing towards the head of the table.

"Thank you," Alex replied politely, choosing a random seat. Ruby, as always, sat beside her.

As Ruby removed her hood, revealing her long, flowing white hair, the general and the officials gasped, their eyes widening in surprise.

They were stunned by her beauty, her youthful appearance.

Alex, however, kept her hood up. She was only here for Ruby. The general and the officials didn\'t dare comment.

Mage Association robes were specially designed to conceal the wearer\'s face. Ordinary people rarely saw a mage\'s true appearance.

The dinner conversation revolved around the general\'s expressions of gratitude and Alex\'s polite responses. The others mostly listened in silence.

Ruby, however, was focused on the food, her appetite seemingly insatiable.

She was the only one actually eating.

"General, you have nothing to worry about. I\'ll report this matter to the Yellowrock City branch tomorrow. We\'ll get to the bottom of this. Those civilians\' deaths won\'t be in vain," Alex said, her voice firm.

"That\'s reassuring," the general replied, relieved.

A Magus carried weight within the Association. With Alex involvement, they would surely take this matter seriously.

A lull fell over the conversation, broken only by the clatter of Ruby\'s utensils.

The servants had already replenished the dishes three times.

As Ruby finished her meal, Alex prepared to leave.

But suddenly, the shadow beneath her feet rippled, and a shadowy figure materialized behind them, its movements silent, its presence undetectable.

The general and the officials gasped, but it was too late.

The creature was too fast!

A black dagger shot towards Alex\'s throat, its trajectory precise, its speed blinding.

Clang!

A flash of white, and a long blade intercepted the dagger. The temperature in the room plummeted, and a wave of icy energy sliced through the air.

The shadowy figure vanished, the attack missing its mark. The palace wall, however, crumbled, a massive crack appearing where the icy energy had struck.

Ruby, her long blade in hand, stood protectively behind Alex, her eyes narrowed and her expression fierce. Yet she was still chewing, with a piece of food visible in her cheek.

The general and the officials breathed a collective sigh of relief. This girl wasn\'t just a bottomless pit, she was also a powerful warrior.

The general knew that if he had been the target, he would be dead.

Ruby, sensing something, vanished, her form blurring as she pursued the attacker.

"You guys should hide. It\'s a King level. They\'re clearly after us," Alex said calmly, rising to her feet.

The officials, their faces pale with fear, scrambled for cover. Only the general remained composed.

"Please be careful, honored Magus," he said, bowing respectfully.

A King level battle was beyond his capabilities. Even a stray attack could kill him.

"It seems that Shadowling wasn\'t alone," Alex muttered, her gaze fixed on the shattered wall.

She was certain now that they were being watched, their movements tracked. This attack had been too precise, too deliberate.

Outside the city, Ruby hovered in the air, her blade at the ready, her senses alert.

Alex joined her, her right eye glowing red. A massive red magic circle materialized above her head.

A fireball, a hundred times larger than her own body, erupted from the circle, its heat and light intense, illuminating the entire city.

The Shadowling, caught in the sudden blaze of light, was exposed.