Aaaaah!
A fireball appeared out of nowhere and struck the attacker. Completely unprepared, he took it straight to the face and burst into flames.
A wretched scream rang out.
The three remaining attackers clearly hadn't expected this. All they saw was a dark blur flash before their eyes before their companion fell to the ground, burning.
"Attack!"
After a brief moment of shock, the attacker who had fired the crossbow bolt recovered.
Rather than fleeing, all three charged at Bosco together.
Caw!
Another crow's cry rang out.
The dark blur flashed again.
This time, the crossbowman caught a vague glimpse of what had ambushed them.
A bird?
No, a crow!
Recalling the earlier cries, the crossbowman was certain.
But what good did that certainty do him?
He could only watch as the crow darted through the alley with incredible agility, killing his two accomplices one after another with its sharp talons and flames that should never have been there.
Hearing his accomplices' dying cries, the crossbowman shuddered deep inside.
But then he thought of what would happen if he failed his mission.
Gritting his teeth, the crossbowman drew the short sword at his waist.
His crossbow wasn't a repeating crossbow. After firing a bolt, he had to load another, and he had no time for that now.
But just as he drew his short sword, a hand reached out from behind him and clamped around his neck.
Behind me?!
The crossbowman's eyes widened in disbelief.
He knew perfectly well what was behind him.
There was a patch of shadow cast by the buildings in the light-the very place where he had been hiding.
But the crossbowman couldn't imagine that someone else had been in his hiding place.
That patch of shadow wasn't large. With him inside it, there couldn't possibly