First Battle

After walking out of the entrance to the mysterious place, Abel and Daniel headed straight into a nearby alley, unaware that two Sorcerers were closely following them.

As they entered the alley, Abel surveyed the small space, reached into his backpack, and pulled out his wand. He waved it toward the alley in front of him.

"Repello Muggletum!"

A burst of white light shot from the wand, transforming into an invisible barrier that rapidly spread across the alley.

At that moment, a man dressed as a black gangster attempted to walk through the alley as usual but suddenly realized he was in the wrong place. He quickly turned and walked down another street. Ordinary passersby who tried to approach the alley also found themselves distracted, as if they had somewhere else to be, and they chose to leave instead.

After casting the spell, Abel stood in the middle of the alley, waiting with Daniel for the two wizards who had been following them.

Before long, the two Sorcerers entered the alley and looked at Abel and Daniel, who were waiting for them. One of the thin, tall men smiled and said, "Please don't get us wrong; we're not malicious. We just want to communicate with you two, nothing more."

"Exactly. The exchange office in the mysterious place has become a third-rate site. We noticed that you both seemed very familiar with buying things, and since you know what you want to buy, we just want to have a good exchange of magic with you. What do you think?"

Daniel remained silent, sticking close to Abel to ensure his safety. He also wanted to gauge Abel's strength.

"Communication... Are you referring to using magic to communicate with each other?" Abel asked.

The two men shook their heads, smiling. "No, no! It's not ordinary communication. We mean something more beneficial. Each type of magic has its own characteristics. A young person, regardless of their inherited magic, may not fully understand it due to inexperience. Our communication refers to you sharing your magic with us, and we can guide you with our extensive experience in practicing it. It would be very worthwhile for you, wouldn't it?"

After listening to the two, Abel shook his head and laughed. "You describe your almost thieving behavior as communication, and you have the audacity to whitewash it. I must say, you two have quite the thick skin."

"From your voice, I can tell you're very young, and you must have a lot of questions about your magical understanding. We have a wealth of experience that I believe can be very helpful to you."

Before entering the hidden place, Abel and Daniel had donned hooded robes, so the two wizards couldn't see their true identities. If they had, they would surely recognize Daniel.

"Okay, I've heard what you said. Now I'll be on my way, and as you can see, I have a companion. We can communicate among ourselves just fine. As for your offer, let's forget it. I'm not interested."

Although the smiles on the two men's faces didn't change much, their eyes lost their mirth. They looked at Abel and then at Daniel, slowly saying, "We're very disappointed. When some seniors offer advice, you should listen. But since you're new here, we'll teach you a lesson."

With a chuckle, Abel raised his hands, stepped forward to distance himself from Daniel, and said, "After all this nonsense, I guess I have to fight you, right? Come on! I've been waiting for this."

This time, the two men finally stopped smiling. They exchanged worried glances, fearing that Abel might be a powerful wizard. But after a moment of thought, they gained confidence in their own strength and decided to attack him!

The short man, who had been silent until now, suddenly extended his hand and waved it at Abel. Two large trash bins at the entrance of the alley flew up, heavy and filled with garbage and sewage, and hurtled toward Abel and Daniel.

Seeing their movements, Daniel prepared to intercept the trash bins. But at that moment, Abel chuckled lightly and raised his hand to shake his wrist. The dark brown wand in his hand drew a line of light, forming an invisible barrier.

"Protego!"

The invisible shield rose, blocking the trash bins and bouncing them back.

This swift defensive maneuver took the two men by surprise.

The rebounding trash cans left them momentarily flustered. The narrow alley didn't allow for a calm escape; they could only brace themselves for the impact!

The man who had spoken earlier quickly leaped into action. When the two trash cans flew back, he lifted his hands, using an invisible force to stop them before they hit the ground.

But before he could breathe a sigh of relief, he suddenly found the figure in a black hooded robe standing right in front of him.

Abel stepped forward, placing one foot between the man's legs, grabbed his neckline with his right hand, and yanked him forward to use his body as a shield. At the same time, he drove his right elbow into the man's chin, knocking him unconscious.

Using the man as a shield, Abel's wand extended from under his armpit, firing a spell at the other Sorcerer rushing toward him.

"Stupefy!"

The red bolt of magic struck the man in the chest, causing him to collapse in a stupor. Abel then cast a petrification spell on the man who was still standing, rendering him immobile before letting him drop to the ground. In just a minute or two, Abel had completely subdued both enemies, who had considered themselves relatively skilled in magic.

Daniel, witnessing the entire scene, was utterly astonished!