Hurry Up

"Don't kill me!!"

The shrill, distorted scream startled flocks of birds into flight throughout the forest.

Ronan stood quietly where he was, expressionless.

The longsword in his hand hovered straight in midair, its cold gleaming blade less than three centimeters from a face drained completely of color with fright.

But when Ronan got a clear look at the other person, he froze slightly.

"Eugene?!"

This "newbie" wizard who had been hiding behind the bushes and secretly casting spells at him was actually Eugene, the wizard Ronan had clashed with at the gathering before! "Don't kill me... don't kill me."

Eugene had been scared out of his wits by Ronan's sword.

His whole body trembled as he knelt on the ground, his face full of despair and terror. Other than begging for mercy, he could not say another word.

Ronan looked Eugene over.

He was carrying bags of all sizes, and his robe bulged in several places, clearly stuffed with quite a few things.

One look was enough to tell that he was fleeing for his life with all his belongings.

With a little thought, it was easy to guess what had happened.

While fleeing, Eugene had the misfortune of running into Ronan, someone he had a grudge against. Already frightened and nervous, and worried Ronan might harm him if they came face-to-face, he had decided to hide in the grass and strike first.

Unfortunately, he was utterly useless. He had tried to recite a low-level zero-tier spell more than a dozen times and still failed to get through it properly.

Looking at Eugene kneeling before him in terrified supplication, then recalling his arrogant, overbearing, sinister, and sharp-tongued manner at the gathering, Ronan suddenly lost all interest in revenge. He only felt it was utterly meaningless.

"Get lost."

Ronan put away his longsword and cursed under his breath.

Eugene acted as though he had been granted a pardon. He scrambled away in a frantic crawl, while the bundles hidden beneath and strapped onto his robe kept falling off with soft thuds, leaving Ronan speechless.

Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, Ronan called out to stop the fleeing Eugene.

"Wait!"

Eugene's body instantly stiffened. He slowly turned around with a look of utter despair.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. I just want to ask you a few questions."

Ronan spoke calmly. "Did you see Old Wells on your way here?"

"Yes, yes!"

Eugene immediately pointed in a direction.

Ronan's spirits lifted slightly. He had not expected to actually get a lead. Judging by how Eugene had blurted it out, he probably was not lying.

"Then where did you hear the news about the Black Robe Wizard? Tell me everything you know in detail."

"Black robes?"

Eugene was clearly stunned by Ronan's question. Then his eyes widened, and even greater terror crept across his face.

"The Black Robe Wizard has already come here?!"

Like a startled rabbit, Eugene instinctively looked around in every direction, his face filled with intense nervousness and fear.

Ronan was confused by his reaction instead.

"If it's not because of the black robes, then why are you running around with all your belongings?"

"I-I heard there were magical beasts!"

Eugene stammered, "They said magical beasts came out of the deep forest and are eating people everywhere."

"What?!"

This time, Ronan was the one taken aback.

Magical beasts!

So the forest was in such chaos not only because of the Black Robe Wizard, but also because magical beasts were running rampant! Ronan's expression immediately darkened. He wanted to ask Eugene a few more questions, but when he looked up, the man had already run far away.

He could not be bothered to chase after him. Given how cowardly Eugene was, he probably would not get anything useful out of him anyway.

His eyes flickered rapidly as he stood there, but in the end, Ronan did not change his mind about finding the others and saving them.

There was simply one more unknown danger now—magical beasts. He had to move even faster.

He quickly walked over and opened several bundles Eugene had accidentally dropped while fleeing. Inside were bottles and jars filled with some sort of potion powders.

Ronan slapped his forehead and cried out in regret.

"I forgot that guy was an alchemist too."

"If I'd known, I should've taken the chance to extort him properly. At least I could've gotten a few useful potions out of him... sigh..."

In the forest, Venecia staggered forward while supporting Old Wells, with little Sheryl following beside them.

All three wore panicked expressions and kept looking back from time to time, as though something were chasing them from behind.

"Leave me behind. Cough, cough, cough."

Old Wells suddenly spoke, then broke into a violent coughing fit, blotches of blood staining the front of his robe.

"Our little tricks won't fool him for long. That Black Robe Wizard will catch up soon.

"I'll hold him off for a while. Venecia, take Sheryl and run!"

Old Wells's face was pale and bloodless. He seemed to have aged ten years in an instant, yet his tone remained firm.

Venecia bit her lip and said nothing. Her body seemed rooted to the spot, completely unmoving.

Sheryl clung tightly to Old Wells's leg, her eyes brimming with tears as she repeatedly shook her little head, her voice thick with sobs.

"No! Don't! We can't leave Grandpa Wells behind!"

Old Wells urged them again and again, but the two—one grown, one small—were as stubborn as stones, refusing to leave his side no matter what.

Old Wells let out a deep sigh and could only shake his head helplessly, allowing the two of them to support him as they continued on their way.

Black Wizard Land's official invasion had come more than half a year earlier than Old Wells had expected. Even though he had fled with Venecia and Sheryl the moment he sensed danger approaching, they had still been targeted by a cunning and evil Black Robe Wizard.

The latter was a powerful Intermediate Wizard Apprentice, far stronger than Old Wells by an unknown margin. Old Wells had been severely wounded by his spell after merely coming face-to-face with him once.

If they had not lived in this forest for decades and known every inch of the surrounding area, along with having a few hidden traps prepared beforehand, they might already have died when the crisis first erupted.

The terrifying enemy could catch up at any moment. All Old Wells could do now was hope that someone had seen the distress signal he released and would arrive in time. Only then might the three of them have a sliver of hope of surviving.

The three supported one another as they hurried through the forest, stumbling over the uneven ground.

Suddenly, a cold, sinister voice rang out in the silent jungle.

"You three pitiful bugs can really run."

Old Wells whirled around to look behind him, only to see that nightmare-like figure in black robes had indeed appeared once more.

His expression changed abruptly, and he hurriedly led Venecia and Sheryl forward as they fled for their lives.

Old Wells was injured, and the three of them moved painfully slowly.

Yet the pursuing Black Robe Wizard was in no hurry to catch them. He merely followed behind at an unhurried pace, an evil and cruel smile hanging on his corpse-pale face, as though he were considering how to make their deaths more entertaining.

Just as this game of cat and mouse reached its midpoint—Whoosh!

A figure suddenly burst from a dense thicket in the direction Old Wells and the others were fleeing. Agile and swift, he ran straight toward them.

The three were startled, but when they saw who it was, they were immediately overjoyed.

But in the next instant, Old Wells seemed to think of something. He hurried forward two steps and shouted anxiously, "Ronan, go! Don't come over... This isn't someone you can handle!"