Magic

Half a day later, Shien and his party arrived at their first destination.

"Is that the Blood Sucking Vine?"

Getting out of the stuffy carriage, Shien's eyes immediately fell upon the target of their journey – the Blood Sucking Vine.

It was a cluster of vines growing on the road leading north, blocking the path like a barricade.

The vines were a blinding, blood-red color and grew incredibly thick, intertwined like gnarled tree roots, forming a low, sprawling plant wall.

However, there was nothing admirable about it.

Because Shien could clearly see the vines, like blood vessels, pulsing and contracting as if transporting something, constantly writhing in a rather disgusting manner.

If he had been summoned to this world just recently, seeing this scene would have made him vomit.

"Is this also a monster?"

Shien muttered with a hint of disgust.

Beside him, Vivian, who had been pulling the carriage, walked over and answered Shien's mumblings.

"No, it's not a monster. It's just a type of plant that grows in places where a lot of blood has been spilled. While it looks like a sentient monster, it's actually no different from other plants. The only distinction is that it never absorbs water to grow; it only absorbs blood. So, if you get entangled by it, you can never escape. It will pierce your skin and drain all your blood, killing you. For many people, these Blood Sucking Vines pose the same threat as monsters."

Not only that, but the vitality and resilience of these Blood Sucking Vines were also quite strong. Once they grew, they would proliferate at an extremely rapid pace until they had absorbed all the blood components from the soil. Ordinary swords couldn't even cut through their outer layer, and getting too close risked entanglement and being drained of blood. Therefore, in many areas, these Blood Sucking Vines caused considerable trouble.

"It's difficult for ordinary people to get rid of these Blood Sucking Vines. Because of this, any town, upon discovering a large infestation nearby, will dispatch the army for eradication or entrust the task to adventurers from the Adventurer's Guild to prevent excessive damage and obstruction."

Vivian explained patiently.

"These Blood Sucking Vines have grown on the essential route to the northern town, likely causing significant losses for many merchants and inconveniencing trade and communication between the two towns. Let's clear them out as soon as possible."

Saying this, Vivian looked at Merika.

"Is that okay, Merika?"

Vivian asked.

"N-no problem!"

Merika immediately tightened her grip on her staff, subtly glanced at Shien, and then stepped forward.

Seeing this, Shien raised an eyebrow.

Because he seemed to have a guess as to how they would eliminate the Blood Sucking Vines.

"To clear out Blood Sucking Vines, ordinary swords are not very effective, and one cannot simply approach them, as it's too dangerous. Vivian saw Shien's slightly expectant look and smiled. "So, the best method is to start a large fire and burn them all, then slowly dig out the roots that are embedded in the ground to prevent them from growing back."

However, due to their extremely high vitality and resilience, a regular fire would likely take a long time to burn them.

Unless…

"Directly use magic to burn the Blood Sucking Vines all at once."

As these words left Vivian's mouth, Merika, ahead of them, made her move.

"————This is Breath of the Celestial Wheel————"

Merika raised her staff, and from her alluring lips, she chanted a solemn spell.

"————Crimson fire spirits, transparent truths, with this prayer as fuel, rise forth————"

At this moment, Merika's face no longer held its previous tension and anxiety. Instead, she seemed to transform into a fairy of nature, swirling magic around her body as she shouted loudly.

"[Heaven Fire]!"

On the staff Merika held high, the crystal embedded at its very tip burst into light.

Instantly, a surge of heat erupted from above Merika, transforming into countless flames that rained down upon the patch of Blood Sucking Vines like a curtain of fire.

The flames turned the surrounding area crimson, as if summoning the twilight glow of sunset, and the air temperature continued to climb.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom!"

The next second, the endless rain of fire fell upon the Blood Sucking Vines, exploding and setting off successive waves of fire that completely engulfed them.

That patch of blood-red vines was thus consumed by the sea of flames, burning.

"————!"

As if letting out silent screams, within the sea of fire, each of the Blood Sucking Vines thrashed wildly.

Anyone who witnessed such a scene would undoubtedly believe they were not mere plants but, like Shien, would strongly suspect they were monsters.

Unfortunately, while monsters at least knew to flee or counterattack when facing a life-or-death crisis, the Blood Sucking Vines could not do so. They merely writhed in the inferno, as if making a final struggle.

Before long, under the intense heat of the fire, the vines turned to charcoal one by one, completely consumed by the flames.

The air was completely filled with the intense heat and scorching of the fire.

"So this is magic…"

Shien, his face illuminated by the fiery glow, watched this scene and said, unsure whether it was with emotion or sentiment.

Although he had seen monsters that could breathe fire and lightning multiple times in the monster forest, witnessing magic like this was undoubtedly his first time.

Shien then fixed his gaze on Merika's retreating figure, the one who had performed this magical feast.

The great fire, as if an illusion, gradually extinguished as Merika withdrew her magic, only vanishing after all the Blood Sucking Vines had been burned to ash.

That entire expanse of Blood Sucking Vines was incinerated, leaving behind nothing but scorched earth.

"Hoo."

Merika finally let out a sigh of relief and put away her staff.

"You've worked hard."

Vivian then stepped forward to comfort Merika.

"Your magic is as powerful as ever,"

Tier commented calmly.

"Just as expected from an Elf."

Lumya, whose arm was being held by Tier, looked at Merika with an expression of admiration.

Merika simply shook her head in response. "I didn't do anything special, I just used magic like I always do."

As she said this, a smile bloomed on Merika's face.

Clearly, being with her companions allowed Merika to relax her constant state of tension and nervousness, letting her true personality surface a little.

Seeing this, Shien, who had been about to step forward, stopped.

Looking at Merika's genuine smile, Shien abandoned a plan that had just formed in his mind.

"It seems I won't be able to get her to teach me magic."

It was, admittedly, a regret.

However...

"Magic, huh?"

Feeling the abundant magic flowing within him and thinking about his [Magic Mastery] skill, Shien felt that he should find an opportunity to learn magic.

Otherwise, it would be a waste of his own abilities.