Ryan's right arm gripped the ultimate ice sword tightly. Forcibly activating the already unsealed ultimate ice sword had taken a brutal toll.

  His skin was already marred with wounds, fresh blood seeping out, as if his entire arm might explode into pieces at any moment.

  Gritting his teeth, Ryan endured the excruciating pain and pulled several crystal vials of mana-enhancing potions from his storage space.

  He twisted open the stoppers and, ignoring everything else, poured the entire contents into his mouth. As long as his body could endure, these potions would amplify his magical power, and he intended to use every last drop.

  The instant the mana potions entered his body, wild energy surged through him. Ryan's aura skyrocketed, forcibly pushing his magical level to the Master Mage tier temporarily.

  For a moment, Ryan felt the mana that had once circulated within his meridians now violently seeping into his flesh, permeating every corner of his body.

  Every vein and fiber of his body was filled with this raging magical energy, pulsing with explosive force.

  He knew, however, that this power was only temporary, fueled entirely by the potions burning his body's potential. Once the effect wore off, the price would be excruciating.

  "Dad!" The little Drake burst into tears, seeing Ryan's arm dripping blood.

  Her tiny body trembled, her aura turning fierce and domineering. Magic began to radiate outward from her, clearly attempting to revert to her Drake form to protect Ryan.

  "Dad is fine! You absolutely must not revert to your true form!" Ryan quickly switched the ultimate ice sword to his left hand.

  Enduring the searing pain in his right arm, he sprinted to the little Drake, scooping her into his embrace and holding her struggling body firmly to prevent the transformation.

  Ryan was certain that far stronger observers lurked in the shadows, watching them.

  Now that the ultimate ice sword was unsealed, this legendary weapon was exposed, enough to tempt countless people to take desperate risks.

  But those onlookers were still uncertain whether Ryan had other trump cards. After all, anyone who could possess a legendary weapon could never be a simple character.

  This caution kept them from revealing themselves. No one wanted to risk their life for a legendary weapon without assurance.

  Even if Archmage-level experts appeared, they might not die at the hands of Ryan, who was originally just a Senior Mage. Yet under the power of a legendary weapon, they would still gain nothing and risk a lot.

  However, if the little Drake now reverted to her Celestial Drake true form, the situation would be entirely different.

  Forget Archmages, even Elder Mages would likely intervene recklessly. Even a juvenile Drake would be enough to drive them into a frenzy.

  Grimoire's lottery wheel spun rapidly in Ryan's mind, the sound of its pointer ticking incessantly.

  Yet Ryan paid no attention to the result. His entire focus was on breaking through the encirclement and protecting the little Drake.

  His right arm, on the verge of shattering, clutched the little Drake tightly. His left hand held the ultimate ice sword, shaking violently from the pain.

  Yet his face was unnervingly calm. Severe injuries were trivial when survival was at stake.

  If the ultimate ice sword had not been forcibly unsealed by Grimoire and recognized him as its master, he would likely not even be able to hold the sword.

  To deliver the world-shattering strike earlier and still remain standing was already the extreme of human endurance.

  At this moment, the ultimate ice sword finally revealed the terrifying power befitting a legendary weapon.

  Ryan still felt dazed when recalling the scene of summoning the weapon. He never expected that the Random Magic Weapon Borrowing Card would call forth Evelyn's ultimate ice sword.

  Even less did he anticipate that Grimoire would forcibly unseal it, thrusting such overwhelming power into his hands.

  Ryan hugged the little Drake tightly, left hand clutching the trembling ultimate ice sword. With the temporary Master Mage power sustained by the mana potions, he charged toward the outskirts of the city.

  The remaining guards along the way dared not stop him and scrambled out of his path in panic.

  At that moment, three overwhelmingly powerful auras erupted from the sky. The hidden observers finally revealed themselves—it was three High Mage-level experts!

  The reason they had held back earlier was that the aura of the Card of Supreme Luck on Ryan had interfered with their judgment, leaving them hesitating as they weighed potential gains.

  Now, as the Card of Supreme Luck's effect began to fade, they no longer hid. Hovering in midair, they eyed Ryan like predators, their gazes filled with greed and determination.

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  Everyone still surviving nearby had their eyes locked on the ultimate ice sword in Ryan's hands, their expressions a tangled mix of greed, shock, and fear.

  A legendary weapon! A weapon said to be wieldable only by a Grand Magus!

  "Kill him! Take the sword!"

  No one knew who shouted, but at this point, the conflict had long since transcended the matter of the noble girl or the Sanctum of the Eternal Seers. Every person who saw the legendary weapon with their own eyes was consumed by greed.

  Yet despite the shouts, no one dared to move first. The terrifying scene of a single strike obliterating countless people still haunted everyone's memory, a shadow none dared challenge.

  "Dad." The little Drake curled in Ryan's arms, tears streaming down her cheeks as she looked at his bloodied arm and pale face, quietly sobbing in concern.

  Ryan forced a smile, brushing his uninjured cheek against her small head, whispering comfort:"It's okay. Dad will bring you out of here soon."

  By then, they had already passed the borders of Penney City.

  Aside from a few persistent pursuers behind them, no obstacles remained in sight ahead.

  Then, suddenly, the little Drake lifted her head. Her tear-streaked face hardened with determination, and two small, delicate horns sprouted from her head.

  A brilliant bolt of lightning erupted from the horns, striking toward the pursuers behind them like divine retribution.

  The moment the lightning hit the ground, a violent explosion rocked the area, instantly pulverizing the enemies behind them.

  Even the few Master Mages following behind could not fully withstand it; the residual energy hurled them through the air, blood spewing from their mouths as they collapsed.

  A flicker of surprise crossed Ryan's eyes. He looked down at the little Drake in his arms and secretly gave her a mental thumbs-up.

  Truly a Celestial Drake. Even as a juvenile, her unleashed power was terrifying.

  Yet even so, the pursuing enemies did not relent.

  Ryan had already fled dozens of kilometers, and the little Drake's lightning had annihilated countless foes, yet they pursued relentlessly as if possessed.

  The three High Mages hovered in midair, following steadily. Their intense auras locked onto Ryan, continuously exerting mental pressure, clearly waiting for the moment his mana was exhausted.

  "Damn it!" Ryan gritted his teeth, cursing. Continuous high-speed flight while forcibly wielding a legendary weapon had pushed his body to its limits. His mana reserves were nearly depleted.

  He glanced at the distance of the pursuers. Seizing the brief moment when no one could get close, he whispered urgently to the little Drake in his arms:"Little Drake, transform back to your true form and hide in Dad's chest totem!"

  The little Drake obediently nodded, her body turning into a streak of light, diving into the dragon-headed totem on Ryan's chest.

  What Ryan didn't expect was that even in her weakened state, the little Drake immediately released energy upon returning to the totem.

  The totem on his chest glowed with a soft light, a warm energy flowing into Ryan.

  His once excruciating wounds eased instantly, his near-exhausted mana rapidly recovering. Every pore on his body opened wide, greedily absorbing magical particles from the world around him.

  Ryan felt warmth in his heart. His speed increased again. With the little Drake sustaining him, he might finally have a chance to completely escape the pursuers.

  The three High Mages hovering in midair happened to catch sight of the little Drake transforming into a streak of light and diving into the totem.

  They saw, even if only for a flash, the true form of the young Celestial Drake. Their pupils constricted sharply.

  Finally, they understood why the little girl had suddenly grown horns. She was a Dragonborn!

  Having realized the key point, the three exchanged a glance and, almost simultaneously, let out low, indulgent chuckles. The laughter was laced with unhidden greed, yet none of them spoke.

  Clearly, each intended to claim the legendary weapon and the young Drake for themselves, unwilling to alert other competitors.

  The countless pursuers below could only hear faint laughter from above. Not understanding its meaning, they only pressed on, chasing Ryan even more frantically.

  "Laugh all you want! Today I'll cut you three bastards down!" Ryan shouted in rage. He did not continue fleeing. Instead, he reversed direction, leaping upward, advancing aggressively toward the three High Mages.

  As he ascended, two blood streaks suddenly appeared on his forehead. From them sprouted a pair of small, golden dragon horns. Fine scales spread rapidly along his neck, covering much of his torso instantly.

  This was the Bloodline Sharing ability! Ryan was both shocked and delighted. With a thought, the scales vanished instantly. Another thought, and they precisely coated his sword-wielding left arm.

  Clearly, after completing a life-binding with the little Drake, he not only gained energy sustain but also shared part of her Dragonborn abilities.

  Ryan raised his eyes, brimming with killing intent, locking onto the three High Mages in midair.

  Relying on eight generations of accumulated combat experience, he immediately discerned their magic tiers: two were Ninth-tier High Mages, one was a Second-tier High Mage.

  Under normal circumstances, their magic levels would have crushed him, but now, wielding the legendary ultimate ice sword and empowered by Dragonborn abilities, he could take them on!

  "Don't run!" Flames patterned like dragon scales appeared beneath Ryan's feet. Surging flame magic erupted violently, propelling him toward the three High Mages.

  The three High Mages were no ordinary opponents. Almost in unison, they slapped out three hand seals, each condensed with pure magical energy, and quickly spread apart to attempt an encirclement.

  Ryan's pupils contracted sharply. He raised the ultimate ice sword horizontally before him.

  A dull explosion rang out as the hand seals collided with the blade. The violent magical shockwave surged through Ryan, blood coursing wildly, and the cracks in his left arm multiplied.

  The scales covering it began to disintegrate into golden sparks under the backlash of magic.

  Ryan, knowing prolonged combat would be disadvantageous, roared.

  His magic surged violently into the ultimate ice sword, his aura rising to its peak. He slowly raised the legendary weapon.

  The moment shocked all the pursuers. Both the three High Mages in midair and the enemies below instinctively retreated in panic.

  They all assumed Ryan was about to unleash another cataclysmic strike!

  Just as everyone braced themselves, Ryan immediately activated a prepared teleportation scroll. His figure became a blur, appearing thousands of meters away in an instant, turning to sprint toward the distance.

  "Fools! Fooled you all, didn't I!" Ryan laughed mockingly while running. His playful tone infuriated the pursuers, who shouted angrily behind him.

  Meanwhile, Evelyn, now separated from the ultimate ice sword, had clearly slowed down.

  When she arrived at the previous battlefield, Ryan's figure was already gone.

  Even her normally calm demeanor faltered. She quickly drew her Clockwork Doll, lightly tracing its surface with her fingertips.

  After a moment of observation, she locked onto Ryan's fleeing direction and leapt into pursuit.

  The side of the Clockwork Doll that originally depicted a little boy was now covered with strange blood-red patterns.

  Suddenly, the patterns on the Doll's left arm vanished without warning, leaving a blank space.

  Evelyn's expression immediately turned grave. Her body surged with speed.

  She did not hesitate to activate all speed-enhancing magical scrolls and items she had, following the Clockwork Doll's guidance in a desperate chase.

  She knew that the Doll's sudden change meant Ryan might be facing mortal danger.