```Lin Da voiced his speculation. Sёarᴄh the novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
"Apart from the Azure Sword, the opponent probably has many other pieces of Magical Equipment. If we could get them..."
Lia's complexion changed, "This, isn't that bad?"
"We're not going after the magical monkeys, the equipment will definitely be lost. But if we take it, we can use it to fight the Magical Creatures."
"You are a similar level to that sect member," Lin Da continued indifferently, "you can sense his lingering aura, can't you?"
The magic monkeys are estimated to be around level 28, and one can only sense the opponent's aura if their levels are close, or if a higher-level faces someone of a lower level.
Lin Da needed Lia to help find the magic monkey.
At this crucial moment, Lia was hesitant, like a perfectly law-abiding citizen, "But, everyone will recognize that equipment."
"We just need to disguise their appearance, and unless someone takes them in for appraisal, they won't be recognized," Lin Da explained patiently.
Eventually, persuaded, Lia clenched her teeth and said, "Just this once, okay? We'll cooperate."
"That's what I was thinking too,"
Lin Da said.
...
To the south of White Dove City, the wilderness.
"Ha, hahaha, freedom, I'm free!"
On the boundless plain, Mikaa shouted excitedly to the sky.
Once he reached Red Heart City and changed his identity, no one would recognize that he was a heretic.
The Azure Sword would sell for at least 500,000 Gold, and the various other odds and ends of equipment would fetch another 500,000...
With a fortune of 1 million Gold Coins, many Star-ranked adventurers don't even have that much on them.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a dark purple Magic Sphere landed on Mikaa's leather armor at the small of his back.
The sound of sizzling corrosion was heard, and Mikaa turned his head to see a hole the size of a fist in the armor beneath him.
"Is it that bastard from Unit 412?"
Mikaa recalled the recent melee.
If it weren't for that Unit 412 getting in the way with all sorts of spells and support, he would have had a chance to kill the young lady of The Mandalas!
The purple Magic Sphere, as well as the Emerald Light Shield, had both left a profound impression on Mikaa.
To him, Unit 412 was even more troublesome than Bilya.
Especially the Light Shield, hacking away one after another, simply inexhaustible, as if he was fighting against someone with dozens of lives, so disgusting he felt like vomiting!
"Boy, you miscalculated, I'm not seriously injured."
Mikaa squinted his eyes, a cold smile forming on his lips.
In the pitch-black wilderness, only Unit 412 appeared alone.
Although the opponent was troublesome, that was under the premise of having protection from others.
In a one-on-one duel, no matter how strong Unit 412 was, he would still only be level 16.
"Rock Splitting Strike!"
Mikaa sneered, his footsteps leaving afterimages as he rushed to Unit 412's side within a few breaths. It would only take one swing of his sword to send this ignorant fool to hell!
However, Unit 412 calmly extended his right hand and murmured the incantation 'Dark Whip.'
Once Lin Da reached level 16, his Poison Technique Series Skill Tree unlocked two new skills.
Dark Whip, moderate energy consumption, high power.
It formed a two-meter-long Energy Whip that could strike up to four times.
Lin Da, like controlling a Flying Sword in the void, with a mental command, wrapped the pitch-black Energy Whip around Mikaa's wrist, and instantly, he drew his One-Handed Sword from his waist, applying his second new skill:
Toxic Enchantment!
The ordinary longsword of blue quality shimmered with an ominous purple glow.
With Toxic Enchantment imbued, for five minutes, all of Lin Da's attacks would convert to Magic Damage, and Normal Attack damage increased by 50%!
Even the Normal Attack output of a Healing Hero should not be underestimated!
When he swung his sword, Mikaa was a bit stunned. A Support Mage engaging in close combat with a Dual-Blade Fighter?
Are you out of your mind?
Mikaa's right hand was entangled by the Dark Whip, leaving him only his left hand to attack.
Thud! Mikaa's longsword struck the Emerald Shield, carrying the skill 'Rock Splitting Strike,' which instantly destroyed the Emerald Shield.
But that was all.
Facing Lin Da's longsword, Mikaa confidently tried to withstand it with his Life Barrier.
But unexpectedly, the barrier fluctuated, and his spiritual core, as if scorched by toxic flames, throbbed with agony. Mikaa grimaced, his face reddening and then paling, as if a giant centipede had bitten his kidneys!
Damn it, you're not a Mage at all!
Mikaa was shocked.
A normal attack from a level 16 Mage shouldn't cause his core to feel pain, at most it was like being punched playfully by a young girl.
But this attack from Unit 412 made him so painfully nauseated that he felt like vomiting blood. With his Life Barrier already weakened by Lia, he feared a few more hits would spell his doom.
As a level 28 Dual-Blade Fighter, if Mikaa were to be solo-killed by a level 16... That humiliation would be worse than death!
Mikaa shouted with fierce desperation, "Weak, too weak, barely a scratch!"
Unit 412's damned Light Shield was gone, and Mikaa was confident that with the next strike, he would finish off this infuriating adversary.
Without this guy... without him, Mikaa could even have killed the runt from The Mandalas. It was the accursed Unit 412 that shattered his dream of taking the life of a noble's daughter!
"You may make your move now."
Lin Da suddenly stepped back, holding the Dark Whip taut on Mikaa's right foot.
What does that mean?
Mikaa was taken aback.
Suddenly, he felt a burning sensation surging from behind him.
Only then did Mikaa realize that Unit 412 had a partner!
While Mikaa's right foot was caught by the Dark Whip, a petite shadow circled behind him, activated 'Energy Charging,' leaped into the air, and used the level 20 Ultimate Skill, Explosive Flame Slash, for the second time!
Lia's personal talent [Ultimate] allowed her to comprehend Ultimate Skills to such an extent that she could use it a second time in short succession.
Mikaa turned in horror, his pupils reflecting the three-meter-long fiery energy greatsword in Lia's hands, and couldn't help but feel his soul escaping as he cried out trembling:
```
"Spare me, let's talk this through, I can give you all my equipment!"
"When you killed others, why didn't you spare them?" Lia refused to listen to Mikaa's excuses as her giant sword descended.
With a loud boom, Mikaa's Life Barrier shattered instantly, and amidst his screams, he was cleaved in two, his body charred black by the fiery Battle Qi.
Lia sheathed her sword, her face turning slightly pale.
She had killed many Magical Creatures before, but this was her first time killing one of her own kind.
"He got what he deserved," Lin Da said calmly.
Despite the discomfort of taking a life, he felt that relative to the innocent souls fallen by the other's hand, he had been merciful.
Bearing the nausea, Lin Da rummaged through the charred corpse.
The Azure Sword was unscathed, the elegant blade seeming to flow with the ocean, unharmed by the Explosive Flame Slash.
The second piece of equipment was the Biting Shark Ring, emitting a faint orange glow.
An orange piece of Equipment at level 20, with decent attributes. He estimated it could fetch around 150,000 Gold Coins.
Besides that, there were three purple accessories in the monkey's pocket.
Glancing at Lia who was dry heaving not far away, he quietly stashed the accessories into his own pocket.
Lia soon realized it was time to 'split the loot'. Looking around fearfully and seeing no one, she came over to the corpse and extended a clean little hand without any reservations:
"The Azure Sword, give it to me."
You sure are thinking ahead, aren't you?
Lin Da laughed in fury. Even a fool knew the value of the Azure Sword far exceeded all other equipment combined.
"Sorry."
Lin Da shook his head regretfully, "I have already bound it to my magic circuit."
Once bound, unless the owner actively unbinds it, erasing their spiritual mark, it's just scrap metal to anyone else.
This Law was mainly to ensure the safety of adventurers; even if one were to kill and loot, they wouldn't be able to take the other's equipment.
"What?!"
Lia's face reddened, her eyes filled with disbelief.
The Lin Da of the past wasn't so greedy.
It was because she trusted Lin Da's character that she didn't rush over to take the equipment first!
"How can you be so shameless?" Lia yelled in anger.
"This is the normal way adventurers interact," Lin Da retorted, tossing over the Biting Shark Ring, "This is yours."
The Biting Shark Ring was decent equipment too, but it paled in comparison to the Azure Sword.
Lia glared at Lin Da with pursed lips, unwilling to concede, "Give me another 200,000 Gold Coins then."
"Not possible."
Lin Da acted as if he hadn't heard her, dusted off his clothes, "Let's bury the body and leave this place quickly. Otherwise, if the auction house people find out, you'll have to return even the ring."
As he walked away under Lia's envious gaze, he caressed the Azure Sword.
The touch under his fingers was like running water, as if the sword was truly made of water.
An attribute frame popped up in front of his eyes:
[Name: Azure Sword]
[Type: Equipment - Main Weapon]
[Quality: Rare Orange]
[Level: 15]
[Attributes: Strength +300, Damage to Aquatic Demons increased by 40%]
[Equipment Rating: 1014. Born of the sea, destined to the sea, its body turned into a keen sword, harboring the roar of waves]
With only a level 15, the rating of the Azure Sword was quite high, passing 1000.
The 40% special damage against Aquatic Demons was a huge bonus, raising its score significantly.
Equipping the Azure Sword pushed Lin Da's Dual Attack to 863.
When attacking Aquatic Demons, that would be 1208 Dual Attack.
However, considering the Murderous Crab's 50% resistance to Poison damage, Lin Da's effective Poison Technique attack would be at around 776 after deducting.
But if he did not use Poison Techniques and instead used the skill 'Lethal Strike' attached to the Ferocious Fang, he could wield a genuine, full-force 1208 attack.
After handling Mikaa's body, Lin Da was ready to leave, but Lia stopped him.
"The strategy for the 12th floor of Snow Goose..."
Lia paused before asking, "Will you look at it?"
"I might not have time," Lin Da pondered for a moment.
With the onset of the Murderous Crab crisis drawing near, he shook his head, "I need to hunt Magical Creatures in the wild to sync up with the team."
"It's 'my' live strategy feed. You're not going to watch it?"
Lia clenched her fists, feeling even more upset than when Lin Da had taken the Azure Sword.
"If I have some spare time, I might," he replied.
As Lin Da walked away,
The Emerald Light Shield that enveloped her gradually dissipated.
The night wind blew through the wilderness, and without her beautiful long hair to shield her neck, Lia shivered with cold.
After this brief cooperation, Lia realized that Lin Da wasn't that weak after all.
Working with Lin Da felt very comfortable, allowing her to fully unleash her combat potential.
Possibly, her body had already grown accustomed to Lin Da's command.
What was most significant was the sense of dependence she couldn't deny.
This made Lia feel incredibly frustrated.
She thought that without Lin Da, the team would be better off.
But after replacing him with Phyllis, she realized that Lin Da was somewhat better.
If she personally asked, would Lin Da... return to the team?
A distracted Lia kicked a small stone on the wilderness with a heavy stomp.