Counter-kill

Jialan's fingertips were trembling.

The cold of the Misty Forest had seeped into his bones, and even his breath condensed into frost in the air. He gently caressed the crystal atop his staff, feeling the Ice Element Mana flowing within.

The sound of dry branches snapping came from the distance.

Jialan held his breath, pressing his back against the ice-covered tree trunk. He extended his mental power to its limit, covering a thirty-meter radius. Three distinct auras were approaching: one as light as a cat, one as heavy as a bear, and one with the sharpness of metal. An Assassin, a Warrior, and an Archer—a standard hunting party.

"Found you, little Mage."

A hoarse voice came from above. Jialan's head snapped up as a dark figure leaped from the treetops, the cold glint of a dagger cutting through the mist.

"Frost Shield," a spell that took him seven to eight seconds to cast, was his strongest defensive spell. He had prepared it for a long time, suppressing it until now, waiting for this moment.

"Crack!"

The shield shattered after a few breaths, but it bought him precious time. Jialan rolled on the ground, his robe torn by the ice shards.

Creating distance, Jialan suddenly turned, slamming his staff onto the ice. A blinding blue light erupted from the staff's tip, and the Ice Mist Technique was instantly unleashed, thick fog spreading outwards from him. This was his meticulously prepared trap; in an environment like the forest, the Ice Mist Technique's effect would be amplified several times.

The Assassin's figure flickered in and out of the mist. Jialan could see the look of shock on the opponent's face. This distance was still too dangerous for a Mage, but even more so for an Assassin.

"Thorn Bind!"

Six to seven thorny chains laced with ice crystals shot out from the ground, precisely binding the Assassin's limbs. The opponent struggled fiercely. Although this was only an Apprentice-level Wood Element spell, Jialan had scattered six to seven seeds around earlier, binding the Assassin together. The Assassin exerted all their Battle Qi but couldn't break free immediately.

Jialan steadied his mind and calmly chanted a spell. Five to six seconds later, "Frost Ray!" pierced the Assassin's chest, the blood freezing before it could even splash. Jialan had no time to catch his breath; he heard the sound of heavy armor approaching—it was the Warrior.

An arrow whistled through the dense fog. Jialan dodged sideways, the arrow grazing his cheek and leaving a bloody gash. But this arrow also revealed the Archer's position.

"Shadow!" Jialan called out softly.

"Understood!"

A familiar voice came from the treetops, followed by the twang of a bowstring. The enemy Archer let out a muffled groan and fell from his hiding spot.

The Warrior's roar grew closer, and Jialan could feel the ground shaking. He raised his staff and began chanting a complex incantation. The moisture in the air began to condense, and a spear gradually took shape.

The moment the Warrior charged through the dense fog, he was met with Jialan's strongest attack, "Spear of Frost."

It struck the Warrior's chest heavily. The heavily armored Warrior lost his balance and fell to the ground. Blood poured from his mouth, but it wasn't fatal. That Warrior was truly tough.

Shadow frowned, his slender fingers releasing the bowstring. An arrow shot out, precisely hitting the Warrior's throat. The Warrior's eyes widened, attempting to make a sound, but it was too late. He collapsed heavily onto the snow, his blood staining the surrounding snow.

Jialan let out a long sigh, finally feeling the pain throughout his body. The battle had taken a massive toll; his Mana was almost depleted.

In that thrilling battle, apart from the Ice Mirror Technique and Skating Technique, which were cast using the staff's innate abilities and a scroll, all other spells were cast by himself.

Flash, Ice Mist Technique, and Thorn Bind were merely Apprentice-level spells, while Frost Shield, Frost Ray, and Spear of Frost were genuine Tier 1 Spells. A Novice-level Spellcaster could typically cast at most eleven to twelve Apprentice-level spells or three Tier 1 spells at a time.

Although Jialan was a Mid-level Novice Spellcaster, his Mana pool was slightly smaller than others of the same rank, which was his weakness. He could only spend more time tempering it with his mental power. Meditation techniques that greatly increased Mana were not something a Mage without background could obtain.

His Mana was almost depleted, and he could only cast a few more Apprentice-level spells. The Misty Forest was fraught with danger; a Spellcaster without Mana was not much stronger than an ordinary person. Fortunately, for some unknown reason, the magical beasts in the forest had disappeared, but enemies had increased significantly. Enemies were far more terrifying than magical beasts.

The two cleaned up the battlefield but found nothing. It was understandable; ambushers wouldn't carry their entire belongings except for necessities.

Fearing that the sounds of battle might attract more enemies, they quickly departed. After traveling seven to eight kilometers, Jialan could no longer walk and found a large tree hollow that offered shelter from the wind and snow. He sat cross-legged and entered Shallow Meditation.

Three to four hours later, Jialan, who had recovered about seventy to eighty percent of his strength, opened his eyes. He called out to Shadow, who had been guarding outside, and took out some dry rations from his Spatial Bag. They shared the food.

"We investigated you..." Shadow suddenly said. Facing Jialan's confused gaze, Shadow continued, "This mission is extremely important. We couldn't just pick anyone to join the team. We sent your information back to the imperial capital via teleportation array and received a reply a few days ago."

"Is there anything special about me?" Jialan asked back.

"Besides being a Spellcaster, you are an ordinary citizen of the Longsheng Empire," Shadow's poker face remained expressionless. "For this mission, we need people like you, people with no background... poor people!"

"What's wrong with being poor? I never agreed to join your team and undertake any important mission. Although I'm affiliated with the military, as a Spellcaster, I have the right to refuse dangerous missions," Jialan said indignantly.

"You won't refuse!" Shadow stared directly at Jialan. "Arrow Protection!"

"What?" Jialan jumped up.

Shadow looked at the scar on Jialan's fair face, left by the enemy Archer during the previous battle. Although it had been healed by the "Soothing Rain Spell," a faint trace remained.

"The Captain said that if you agree to participate in the mission, the reward will be the structural analysis diagram for the 'Arrow Protection' spell. After the mission, there will be additional rewards: potions, materials, magic items, spell structures, and even meditation techniques. As long as your contribution is sufficient, you can exchange for them..."

Seeing Jialan's surprised and uncertain expression, Shadow, for once, revealed a smile at the corner of his mouth. "You know, the Captain is the heir of Marquis Kapei's Manor..."