The branches of the World Tree lashed against the skeletal horse, producing a heavy thud. Within seconds, the creature, held together by undead magic, shattered apart, its bones scattering across the ground.

  The undead knight riding it, however, seemed utterly unaffected. Gripping his massive deathly blade, he swung fiercely at the branches.

  Black death energy clashed with the green glow of magical power, managing to block the World Tree's defensive magic head-on.

  Ryan immediately activated the Grimoire's auxiliary scanning system. A stream of data appeared before his eyes:

  Name: Undead Knight

  Rank: Eighth-tier Adept Mage

  Affiliation: Undead Legion of the Misty Forest

  Weapon: Deathblade of the Undead

  Ryan's heart sank. Just moments earlier, through the breach in the barrier, he had seen more than one undead knight outside, along with countless undead soldiers.

  Some of those skeletal soldiers were entwined with low-level wraiths, clawing and slashing at the barrier. It was clear they intended to completely destroy Shrouded Village's defenses.

  He dared not waste another second. Ryan rushed to Evelyn's side, lifting her arm over his shoulders.

  A quick inspection told him her injuries were mostly superficial—nothing fatal. It must have been the protective silk undergarment she always wore that saved her. Without it, the undead knight's strike would have left her gravely wounded.

  But as soon as he helped her up, Evelyn's body went limp, and she lost consciousness completely.

  "Evelyn! Wake up!" Ryan tapped her cheek anxiously, his voice edged with panic. This was no time to pass out.

  Beside them, the ultimate ice sword quivered violently on the ground, its faint glow flickering as if urging Ryan to help its master.

  Just then, the Grimoire's chime rang in his mind:

  【Emergency mission triggered: Eliminate the undead knight that breached the village. Reward: 100 units of Magic Origin Value.】

  "A mission?" Ryan's eyes lit up. He looked toward the battlefield, still supporting Evelyn.

  The undead knight was locked in combat with the World Tree's branches and the hunting team led by Matt. For now, neither side had the upper hand.

  However, Matt and his hunters lacked effective means against undead creatures—they were barely holding the line.

  Ryan made his decision instantly. He carried Evelyn into the cabin, laid her gently on the bed, then turned and dashed back outside.

  He ran to where the ultimate ice sword lay, crouched beside it, and whispered,"I know you want to save your master. I'll help you—but don't attack me, alright?"

  The sword seemed to understand. Its trembling gradually eased. Ryan cautiously wrapped his fingers around the hilt, ready to release it at the first sign of hostility.

  Thankfully, the hilt only grew slightly warm. It didn't resist or unleash magic against him. Relief surged through Ryan's chest, and he immediately poured his mana into the blade.

  The moment his energy flowed in, the ultimate ice sword blazed to life. Frost gathered around its blade, and its brilliance outshone anything he had seen before.

  "This is it!" Ryan stomped his right foot against the ground and, with a burst of magically enhanced speed, shot forward like an arrow.

  He gripped the sword tight and raised it high, adopting a striking stance aimed directly at the undead knight's chest—appearing to attack head-on.

  The undead knight fell for it instantly, raising his giant deathblade to block. Yet, just before the blades met, Ryan activated Wind Sprint magic.

  In an instant, his figure blurred and vanished from sight, reappearing behind the undead knight.

  Sensing danger, the knight's reflexes kicked in. He twisted midair, his deathblade sweeping down from above, shrouded in black miasma, aiming straight for Ryan's head.

  Ryan staggered back, his feet sliding several meters across the ground before he managed to steady himself. A numbing pain still surged through his arms.

  Matt and the World Tree's branches immediately filled the gap, reengaging the undead knight.

  Without Ryan's support, their combined strength was only enough to hold the creature at bay. They could not pierce its core.

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  "The level difference is too great. Only the ultimate ice sword can suppress it!" Ryan gritted his teeth, silently chanting the movement spell Stellar Step.

  This was an advanced agility technique based on the motion of stars. By channeling faint starlight, it enhanced speed and flexibility, far surpassing the basic Wind Sprint but also requiring far greater control.

  As the technique activated, Ryan's movements blurred. He charged toward the undead knight once more, both hands gripping the ultimate ice sword tightly.

  He merged the last of his mana with the sword's ice energy, and a sphere of interwoven frost and flame gathered at its tip."Iceflame Slash!"

  A blazing strike infused with both ice and fire burst from the sword, slicing through the air with a piercing shriek as it shot straight for the knight's chest.

  A violent explosion erupted in the center of the battlefield. The armor covering the undead knight's chest shattered instantly, and the magical core hidden within it exploded.

  The ghostly green fire burning in its hollow eye sockets extinguished at once. Its towering body collapsed with a crash, scattering bones across the ground. The massive deathblade it carried dimmed and fell silent beside it.

  【Mission complete! Reward: 100 units of Magic Origin Value received.】

  The familiar chime of the Grimoire echoed in Ryan's mind. He exhaled in relief, the tremor in his sword arm finally easing.

  Villagers rushed forward to tend to the wounded Matt.

  Ryan walked to the fallen knight's remains and picked up its greatsword. Although the weapon had lost its undead energy, it was still a lower-tier bronze magic weapon.

  The blade was longer than his arm, the hilt spiraled like twisted iron, and its edge gleamed faintly under the moonlight. It felt heavy and solid in his grip.

  Then, as if struck by lightning, Ryan remembered Evelyn lying unconscious in the cabin. His heart tightened."Evelyn still needs treatment!"

  "Someone bring me some moonlight herb and crystal ice powder!" he called out to the villagers before sprinting back toward the wooden house.

  He pushed open the door, first hanging the ultimate ice sword carefully in the corner. If it suddenly activated during healing, things could get dangerous.

  Then he set the herbs on the bedside table. Looking down at Evelyn, pale and still on the bed, a moment of hesitation flickered in his eyes before he firmed his resolve.

  "The Academy's healing manual clearly says external wounds must be exposed for the magic herbs to take effect. Otherwise, the mana won't penetrate the skin and could even cause infection. That's basic magical theory!"

  He shut the door and wedged a wooden stick across the handle to make sure no one barged in during treatment.

  From the corner, the ultimate ice sword began trembling violently, its glow flashing in protest, as if warning him not to proceed.

  Ryan turned his head and shot the weapon an annoyed glare."What are you panicking for? I'm helping your master! If I don't remove her robe, how am I supposed to treat the wounds? You want her to stay unconscious until her mana drains away completely?"

  Perhaps his words struck a chord, or perhaps the sword sensed Evelyn's fading life force, but after a few moments the trembling gradually subsided. The glow dimmed, and finally, the blade returned to stillness.

  Ryan carefully reached out and began to remove Evelyn's clothes. Without doing so, he would never be able to cleanse the lingering necrotic energy from her wounds.

  But the moment he had removed half, a sudden heat rushed to his nose. Warm blood dripped from his nostrils onto the back of his hand.

  He hurriedly wiped it away with his sleeve. His face flushed crimson as he realized she still wore a thin layer of translucent silk beneath, outlining her graceful figure in a way that was somehow even more tempting than being bare.

  "I'm only healing her wounds. Just treating her injuries…" Ryan repeated in his mind again and again, struggling to suppress the chaotic pulse of his heartbeat.

  He had never been this close to a woman before, and that faintly visible sight made his chest tighten and his breathing grow uneven.

  "Calm down!" He pinched his own arm hard, using the pain to force himself back to focus.

  Closing his eyes, he steadied his breathing. Only when his blood settled did he turn back and begin applying the crushed herbs carefully onto Evelyn's wounds.

  The moment the warm, magic-infused herbs touched her skin, Evelyn's body trembled slightly. A faint blush spread quickly across her cheeks, and a soft heat shimmered around her body.

  It was the special reaction caused by the Moonlight Grass merging with magical essence.

  When healing herbs fused with elemental energy, they released gentle warmth that hastened recovery—though the warmth could also stir a faint burning sensation in the body.

  Ryan worked quickly, treating the wounds on her shoulders and arms before crouching down to roll up her skirt, revealing the cuts along her leg.

  That wound was deeper than the others, and the remaining traces of dark energy were visible. It needed an extra layer of ice crystal powder to suppress the death aura.

  Just then, Evelyn's eyelashes fluttered violently. Her eyes looked as though they were about to open at any second.

  Ryan froze, panic flashing through him. Instinctively, he reached out and covered her eyes with both hands. The last thing he needed was for her to wake up now—there would be no explaining this situation.

  Fortunately, Evelyn only let out a soft sound and drifted back into deep sleep. The soothing warmth of the healing magic seemed to have relaxed her completely.

  Ryan exhaled in relief, though his palms were slick with cold sweat. He hastened his work, finishing the last application of herbs and carefully dressing her again.

  Putting the clothes back on was far more difficult than taking them off. He had to avoid touching her wounds while hiding his earlier panic. More than once, his fingers brushed against her soft skin, making his heart race uncontrollably.

  When he finished, he even dabbed a bit of herb on the outer layer of her clothing where the wounds were, disguising it to look as though he had treated her without undressing her—just in case she noticed later.

  At last, Ryan sank into the chair beside the bed, utterly drained. He looked at Evelyn's sleeping face: her brows were relaxed, her color restored by the herbs' gentle warmth.

  Her lips, normally pressed into a cold line, now curved faintly, softer and more human.

  He couldn't help but sigh inwardly. She really is beautiful… impossibly beautiful.

  "Taking a few secret glances shouldn't be too much, right?" Ryan murmured to himself with a wry smile.

  He admitted it—he had lost his composure. But facing such a woman, whose beauty matched her power, it was only human to feel something.

  Without realizing it, he leaned in slightly, his gaze fixed on Evelyn's pale pink lips. A reckless thought began to stir in his mind.

  But just then, the ultimate ice sword in the corner flared to life. Violent magic surged from it, the blade trembling fiercely as if ready to tear free from the wall and strike at Ryan.

  Clearly, the sentient sword had seen right through his thoughts.