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Three men in black flashed out from behind the bushes. The leading man in black was agile and responsive, easily dodging Mark's dagger. The dagger brushed against his black sleeves, bringing up a few strands of cloth, but did not hurt him at all.

The other two men in black pounced on Albert like hungry wolves. The magic circle under Albert's feet flashed, and a powerful energy wave spread out, pushing the two men in black back several steps. They stumbled back and hit the tree trunk behind them, making a dull sound.

Mark took the opportunity to bully and fight with the leading man in black. The dagger intersected with a slender sword in the opponent's hand, making a harsh metal collision sound and sparks flying.

Mark's moves were fierce and his offensive was like a tide, while the man in black used defense as offense and his moves were exquisite. It was difficult to tell who would win for a while. The branches and leaves of the bushes were driven by the movements of the two people, making a rustling sound, and the air around them became heavy. Albert activated the magic circle again, and several light arrows shot at the men in black like arrows from a bow.

The leading man in black had a stern look in his eyes, waved the long sword in his hand, and the sword light flashed, blocking the light arrows one by one. The light arrows collided with the sword blade, making a crackling sound, and the energy scattered, illuminating the surrounding woods. The shadows of the trees swayed, and the light and shadows intertwined, like a fantasy.

At the stalemate, a sharp whistle came from a distance, breaking the tranquility of the valley. The three men in black paused when they heard the sound, and looked at each other, as if they had received some kind of signal. Without any hesitation, they quickly left the battle, turned around and sank into the jungle, and disappeared without a trace in the blink of an eye.

Mark and Albert did not dare to chase, and looked around vigilantly. The breeze blew, the leaves rustled, and the sun shone through the gaps between the branches and leaves, forming mottled light and shadows on the ground. Apart from this, there was no other movement. After confirming safety, the two continued to move forward, looking for traces of the town.

"It seems that Toby has found us." Mark said in a deep voice as he walked, his brows furrowed. He was puzzled that Toby did not launch a large-scale attack. According to Toby's current strength, Mark was no match for him.

Albert nodded, his face solemn. "Maybe Toby wants to use us to find all the fragments." He paused, "Or he doesn't have any fragments in his hand."

"It is very likely. After all, his power is opposite to the power of the Holy Stone." Mark nodded.

Suddenly Albert felt unwell again. A familiar burning sensation surged from his body, making him feel dizzy. He staggered and almost fell.

Seeing this, Mark hurriedly supported him, "Albert, how are you?" He asked with concern, his eyes full of worry.

Albert held his forehead with one hand and Mark's shoulder with the other, took a few deep breaths, and tried to calm himself down. "I... I feel... that power again..." He said intermittently, his voice weak and powerless.

Mark quickly took out the slate given by the old man and handed it to Albert. "Hurry, use it!" He said hurriedly, his eyes full of anxiety.

Albert took the slate and put it on his chest. The runes on the slate emitted a faint fluorescence, slowly flowing into his body, suppressing the restless power. Albert's complexion gradually returned to normal, and his breathing became stable.

He handed the slate back to Mark and looked at him gratefully.

"Thank you, Mark."

Mark took the slate and carefully put it away, with a flash of determination in his eyes. "It seems that we must find a way to find the last three pieces of the holy stone fragments." He waved his hand in annoyance, "For some reason, I can't sense the remaining fragments. According to Oran, this situation should not exist."

"You mean, Oran?" Albert heard the name and grabbed Mark's shoulder and shouted.

"Yes, Oran, do you know him?" Mark was a little surprised by Albert's reaction, and then told Albert about his encounter with Oran.

Albert was a little horrified. "Olan was wiped out in the battle in the Holy City."