Venecia (Thanks to Yidaozhanzhanzhan for the Silver Alliance Leader)

Venecia (Thanks to Yidaozhanzhanzhan for the Silver Alliance Leader)

The newcomer turned a deaf ear to Old Wells's shout.

Seeing someone arrive, the Black Robe Wizard following behind Old Wells and the other two sneered coldly.

"Didn't expect my luck to be this good. I can gather all the gray-robed wizard scalps required for the mission in one go... Not bad at all."

Hearing that sinister laugh, Old Wells broke out in a cold sweat.

He knew very well how capable the newcomer's companion was.

Though he was an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice, he had reached that level entirely by taking potions over just a few short months.

Usually, he did nothing but study runes and immerse himself in body forging. He never seemed to practice any spells. He was too young, far from the age where one could perfectly turn Spiritual Power cultivation into combat strength.

And even if he reached that point, Black Robe Wizards who had fought their way out of schemes and bloodshed were not opponents that Wandering Wizards like them—without proper inheritances or specialized training—could handle.

Your strength might clearly surpass theirs by one or two minor realms, yet once a fight began, you could still have your life taken with ease.

During the Black Wizard Land invasion Old Wells had experienced in his youth, he had seen far too many such examples.

"You two, go! Let Ronan take you away!"

Having made up his mind, Old Wells forcefully shoved Venecia and Sheryl beside him away, then turned and took the initiative to face the Black Robe Wizard behind him.

Sheryl's heart-rending sobs instantly rang out, making Old Wells's heart tremble without end.

Yet the next second, he steeled himself, took a deep breath, and endured his injuries as he began rapidly chanting a spell.

But before Old Wells could utter more than a few spell syllables, an inexplicable wave of energy rose behind him.

A terrifying shriek tore through the air, rapidly drawing closer.

Old Wells saw the Black Robe Wizard ahead, who had been watching them with a cold sneer, suddenly look as though he had seen a ghost. His expression changed dramatically, and without a word, he turned to flee.

Something then streaked swiftly over Old Wells's head. The howling gale billowed his robe like a sail and sent his white hair flying wildly. BOOM!

A huge Energy Light Sphere, deep blue bordering on black, struck the fleeing Black Robe Wizard at high speed. Visible energy shockwaves erupted from the impact, and the surrounding grass and trees trembled as leaves rustled down. WHOOSH—

A figure dashed past Old Wells, skillfully ran to the deep pit where the Black Robe Wizard had vanished, rummaged through the scattered debris for a while, then quickly stuffed several items into his clothes.

After finishing all that, the person walked toward them.

When he reached them, he looked the three of them over, relief appearing on his face before he asked, "Oh, right. Where's Jacob? Isn't he with you?"

Old Wells stared blankly at the young, handsome face before him—familiar, yet incomparably strange. He opened his mouth instinctively... but could not force out a single word.

"I searched around, but he was nowhere to be found. He wasn't at home either."

Ronan frowned slightly. After weighing the matter briefly, he ultimately decided, "Forget it. Don't worry about him."

The forest was fraught with danger now, with Black Robe Wizards and magical beasts appearing at the same time. He could not risk everyone else for a missing Jacob.

When he looked up, the three people he had just saved were still staring at him blankly, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

Old Wells was the main one. He had been closest to Ronan, so after Ronan revealed his strength, the impact on him was naturally the greatest.

Ronan suspected that, until now, Old Wells had probably still seen him as that Level Two Apprentice—the chubby kid who huffed and puffed through daily runs and exercises to escape the erosion of energy particles.

"You're hurt?!"

Ronan noticed Old Wells's awful complexion.

"I got grazed by a spell."

Old Wells forced himself to say, "I'm fine. It won't kill me."

Ronan thought for a moment, then bent down directly. "Come on, I'll carry you."

Old Wells hesitated slightly, but in the end, he still climbed onto Ronan's back.

"Thank you, Ronan."

Hearing the complicated gratitude in Old Wells's voice, Ronan shook his head and casually picked up little Sheryl as well.

Ever since Ascetic Body Forging had advanced to mastery, his strength had become astonishing. He did not know how he compared to a proper knight, but Ronan himself found it rather exaggerated.

The weight of one old man and one little girl was no burden to him at all.

He led them back in the direction he had come from.

After running for a while, Ronan suddenly noticed that Venecia was not keeping up with the group.

When he ran back to look, Venecia seemed to be in somewhat poor condition.

Ronan reached out and tugged at the hem of her robe, only to see that one of her ankles had swollen up like a steamed bun. He had no idea when she had sprained it.

"Why didn't you say anything if you were hurt?"

Ronan could not help frowning.

Venecia bit her lip and lowered her head without saying anything, like a child who had made a mistake and was being scolded.

"Forget it. Get on too. One more won't make a difference."

Seeing her like this, Ronan could not bring himself to say anything more. He simply reached out, picked Venecia up, and tucked her into the crook of his other arm.

Venecia's shy resistance felt like nothing more than a tickle to Ronan, but something else gave him a slight shock.

Ronan discovered that Venecia was surprisingly well-endowed!

Usually hidden beneath her loose, oversized Wizard Robe, it was impossible to tell at all.

After carrying and half-dragging the three of them for a while, once they seemed to be some distance from where they had encountered the black-robed man, Old Wells told Ronan to put him down.

He wanted Ronan to conserve his strength.

Ronan actually felt fine. Even after running for so long with three people in tow, he had only broken a slight sweat and would have had no trouble fighting.

But Old Wells insisted, so Ronan set the three of them down.

They found some medicinal powder for their wounds at a nearby supply cache, then Ronan used his One-Handed Sword to shave several branches into walking sticks. At last, the injured Old Wells and Venecia were able to move normally.

There was still quite a long way to go before they left the forest, but at least they had moved away from the most dangerous area, and everyone relaxed considerably.

Because of having carried her earlier, Ronan's gaze kept drifting toward Venecia unconsciously as they traveled.

After secretly observing her, Ronan realized that the features hidden beneath Venecia's thick flaxen hair were actually quite decent—perhaps even pretty.

It was just that her skin was truly awful.

It was sallow, rough, and completely lacking in luster, like that of a peasant woman who had worked the fields all year round.

That flaw greatly diminished Venecia's looks.

"What a waste of that figure. She could've scored over ninety."

Ronan lamented inwardly.

Setting aside her appearance, he actually had a rather good impression of the young witch Venecia.

At Wizard Potter's funeral, Venecia had chanted to comfort the wounded Sheryl. Her gentle, maternal manner had left a deep impression on him.

Later, she and Old Wells had taken in Sheryl together, and supposedly she had not taken any of the things Potter left behind. She was undoubtedly a girl with an exceptionally soft and kind heart.

Perhaps because Ronan had carried her for part of the journey, or perhaps because she had noticed him secretly looking at her.

Ever since taking the branch walking stick Ronan had given her, Venecia had kept her head lowered, her face red, shy as a rabbit at the mercy of others.

They had not paid much attention while running for their lives, but after Ronan's group slowed down, they finally realized just how chaotic the Treehouse Area had become.

Thanks to Brother Yidao for the Silver Alliance membership. An extra chapter.