That little girl was formidable, no question—Angelia had already witnessed that firsthand. But what about the little boy? What was his background? What made him special? Looking at their dynamic, the little girl seemed quite respectful of him, which struck Angelia as profoundly odd.

Could it be that the little boy was somehow even more formidable? Angelia entertained the thought for a moment, only to immediately squash it.

She had seen Robin’s prowess with her own eyes. In Angelia’s estimation, it would be difficult to find anyone who could surpass her, and certainly, no one who could exceed Robin would be a child as small as Zhong Shenxiu!

To be frank, between Zhong Shenxiu and Robin, Angelia was far more interested in Robin (that terrifying little girl). If she could manage it, she’d even ask Robin for pointers on swordsmanship! As for Zhong Shenxiu, Angelia didn't pay him much mind; she found the little boy altogether too arrogant for her taste, which brought forth a measure of disdain!

This brings us to Angelia herself. From childhood, she had been devoted to the sword, aspiring only to become a true Swordmaster.

She loved the sharp whistle the blade made slicing through the air; she loved the exhilarating sensation of swinging a sword; and most of all, she adored the imposing aura of looking upon the world with a sword in hand. According to her mother, Angelia had been born into the wrong body—she should have been a boy!

Angelia was so consumed by her love for the blade. Even though, as a woman, achieving renown as a swordswoman required exponentially more sweat, greater effort, and facing down more adversity than it would for others, she cared not one bit. She reveled in that feeling of exertion!

This explained why Robin’s swordsmanship had left such an indelible mark on her.

When a woman—a woman obsessed with the ‘Sword’—becomes utterly determined, the result can be terrifying indeed!

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Deep within the Bewitching Beast Forest.

Christoph had brought nearly all his brothers, positioning them for an ambush here.

Outnumbering the enemy had always been Christoph's defining tactic!

"Are they not here yet?" Christoph asked one of his men in a low voice.

"Not yet!" another replied.

"Fred, are you absolutely sure those two are taking this route?" Christoph asked, irritation creeping into his tone.

"Leader, we have scouts everywhere. They will definitely pass through here," Fred asserted with complete confidence.

He was buzzing with excitement; in just a little while longer, he would have his revenge. He believed that with this many men, and with both the Captain and Vice-Captain present, victory was assured.

It was only because he had been careless before. That little brat of a girl just happened to possess superior strength. As long as she couldn't lay a hand on him, there was nothing to fear! Fred thought fiercely to himself.

This time, he’d make her pay double! Fred glared at his bandaged hand, harboring vicious thoughts, and began to lustfully imagine how he would torment Robin once they captured her!

There are certain people in the world who never take stock of their own meager worth, insistently marching themselves straight toward their doom!

This bunch, every last one of them—to dare ambush Zhong Shenxiu and Robin here—it made one wonder if they possessed courage or sheer ignorance?

After waiting a while longer, a subordinate finally hissed, "They're here. The two are approaching."

Everyone immediately tensed, staring into the distance. Sure enough, they spotted two figures slowly walking toward their position.

"Listen closely! Wait for my signal, and we absolutely cannot let them escape," Christoph urged, impatience barely contained.

Having originated as a bandit, Christoph’s greatest pleasure was bullying others. Now that he was the leader of a mercenary group, he had been forced to moderate his behavior significantly, but the evil blood still ran in his veins. A man like this would inevitably reveal his true nature given the slightest opportunity!

"Don't worry, Leader! With this many of us, how could two people possibly get away? Tonight, the brothers are going to have some fun!" someone immediately chimed in agreement.

Christoph gave a slight chuckle, and his eyes began to gleam with a predatory light only beasts possess.

Angelia, silently tracking Zhong Shenxiu and the girl, suddenly felt a deep, inexplicable sense of foreboding. As this feeling intensified, Angelia finally detected what looked like an ambush waiting nearby. At that very moment, Zhong Shenxiu and Robin walked squarely into the trap.

"Move out!" Christoph suddenly roared.

Instantly, with a rush, numerous figures sprang out from all directions, swiftly surrounding Zhong Shenxiu and Robin.

What? Only two children? These ambushers realized that the targets they had spent all this time preparing for were merely two small children who hadn't even fully grown their baby teeth.

Christoph shot Fred a sharp look, his meaning unmistakable: What in the hell was going on here?

"Leader, that little brat is the one who did this to me," Fred quickly explained.

"You actually let yourself be handled by a mere little girl? You’re bringing shame upon our 'Double Axe Mercenary Group'!" Christoph growled angrily.

"Leader, please don't be fooled by their appearance! These two brats are vicious. Especially that little girl—her grip strength is terrifying! Leader, you must be careful!" Fred frantically explained, nodding like garlic being pounded.

"Get lost and watch from over there! Stop making a fool of yourself here!" Christoph snapped.

Fred scurried away shamefacedly, daring not utter another word!

Zhong Shenxiu and Robin heard every single word spoken. Zhong Shenxiu stole a glance at Robin, a faint smile playing on his lips. He was intensely curious to see Robin’s expression upon hearing herself constantly referred to as a "little girl."

To Zhong Shenxiu’s disappointment, however, Robin’s face remained perfectly placid, as if the men were talking about someone else entirely.

Angelia, watching from the distance, gasped sharply when Zhong Shenxiu and Robin were suddenly ringed by men. She clearly couldn't grasp the situation unfolding.

Just then, a rather stout man from the 'Double Axe Mercenary Group' stepped forward a few paces.

This man threw open his tunic, exposing a nauseatingly large belly, and struck a swaggering pose. He pointed a finger at Zhong Shenxiu and Robin and asked in a deeply hostile tone, "Hey, little punks, are you two the ones acting so tough? You haven't even finished sprouting hair and you dare cause trouble here? Are you looking to die?"

This absolute buffoon dared to point at Zhong Shenxiu and speak to him that way? Did he not notice a pair of bright eyes, emanating a chilling, cold light, already locked onto him?

Someone else dared to challenge Robin's sacred territory! Ah well...