Secret Hideout

Punk used Mage Hand to carry the "trussed up" archer girl, avoiding the charred chunks of flesh and shattered stones scattered across the ground as he returned behind the stone wall they had initially used to "rest." The other dire wolf and Mainesi were waiting there.

Bang!

Punk threw the girl onto the ground, then gave Mainesi a formal bow. "Respected Lord Mainesi, may I ask whether you need this enemy's life force to recover?"

Although Punk kept his head lowered, his senses were stretched to their limit. His entire body was as tense as a drawn bowstring. This was another test of Mainesi. If Mainesi truly could absorb others' life force to recover quickly, Punk would have to seriously consider whether to take the enormous risk of ambushing this half-crippled Formal Mage after entering the secret passage. Staying beside a mage capable of absorbing life force for too long was like sleeping with his head in a lion's mouth—dangerous and insane! Punk could not accept such a dangerous situation at all.

Mainesi paid no attention to the girl on the ground, who was beginning to show signs of waking. He stared deeply at Punk with an unfathomable look, as though Punk were some incomprehensible monster he needed to see through as quickly as possible.

After a long while, Mainesi finally spoke in a hoarse voice. "My Life Element cultivation direction is 'creation,' not 'acquisition.' Her life force is meaningless to me."

"I see. I was being unnecessary."

Punk gave a "respectful" reply. Though he would not believe Mainesi's words just because of that, their current situation still allowed them to continue cooperating. He calmly raised his head and grabbed the now-awake girl.

Lifted into the air by Punk, the archer girl realized something bad was about to happen. She futilely tried to struggle free from the vines binding her while continuously cursing, "Pervert! Put me down! You'll die a horrible death..."

However, neither Punk nor Mainesi had any intention of responding to this "delicate" girl. Punk walked to the edge of the stone wall and yanked the Ruby Necklace from her neck. The rough motion immediately left a bruised red mark around her snow-white throat. At the same time, as several low chants rang out, a pale purple Mage Hand appeared before her head...

Punk completely ignored the tearful pleading in the archer girl's eyes and controlled the Mage Hand to tighten without hesitation...

Rip...

Huge splashes of blood dyed the entire stone wall blackish red. Then, with a casual kick from Punk, a round object bounced twice across the ground before disappearing into a crack in the ruins...

"We need to hurry. The inn is right ahead!"

After watching Punk place the Divine Spell Necklace into his robe pocket, Mainesi gave an unhurried reminder.

"As you command, Lord Mainesi."

Mainesi's secret hideout was actually concealed in the inn's cellar. The cellar, which had originally only been large enough to hold a few sacks of potatoes, had now been expanded by magic to the size of a basketball court.

As he entered the gloomy, oppressive cellar, Punk found many magical runes carved into its walls. They seemed to provide considerable reinforcement. A Formal Mage truly was lavish. This kind of semi-permanent enchantment actually covered such a large area. Though this enchanted house looked crude, its sturdiness far surpassed those flashy, luxurious castles. But... the lighting here was rather... unbearable to look at. Only two pitiful Dancing Light Spells clung to the ceiling as illumination, making the entire cellar's "secret hideout" atmosphere exceptionally strong.

The one who greeted Mainesi and Punk was the Alchemy Golem responsible for reception at the Mage Guild. After not seeing it for some time, the little fellow seemed even more dim-witted. It had been cleaning when it saw Punk enter the cellar, and after staring blankly for a while, it finally shouted in a maliciously amusing ducklike voice, "Someone's here! Someone's here!"

Fortunately, the soldiers' reactions were not too slow. Two Apprentice Level Warriors quickly ran to the door, gripping their weapons and shields as they "welcomed" them from both sides. Yet after seeing Mainesi, their initially delighted expressions were immediately frozen by Mainesi's "horrifying" wounds.

Mainesi, who had just cast a Levitation Spell on himself, was clearly displeased by his soldiers' "embarrassing" performance. Punk could not help but complain inwardly. Had he never considered how terrifying it was to float through the air with only half his body, like a ghost?

Still, the soldiers would not fail to recognize their commander merely because Mainesi had lost half his body. Once they learned that Mainesi had returned, all the remaining loyal elites gathered in a room that could barely be called a living room. Her Highness the Princess clung tightly to Mainesi and refused to let go, crying so hard that she looked like a kitten afraid of being abandoned. She had completely lost the heroic bearing she had displayed while speaking in the square.

As the Princess held Mainesi and wept bitterly, the warriors around them secretly wiped away tears as well. Punk only wanted to ask whether they could hurry up and open the secret passage to escape. They could cry after getting outside. But seeing the old mage beside him crying like a child, Punk silently decided to remain quiet.

"Sir, you..."

The Princess tried to stop the "half-remaining" Mainesi from getting up and moving, but Mainesi, who wished to interrupt this sorrowful "feast," gently pushed her arm aside.

"Soldiers..." Mainesi swept his burning gaze across the few remaining warriors.

"...We lost this battle, but! Her Highness the Princess is still here, and the spirit of the Kingdom of Kamos still remains! You—are still here!"

Mainesi's words rang out powerfully.

"Are you willing to follow Her Highness the Princess with me until the end of your lives?!"

"Yes!!!"

All the soldiers snapped to attention in unison. With all their strength, their most forceful voices, and their most standard postures, they gave the most standard military salute symbolizing loyalty. The old mage beside Punk shouted so hard that his voice cracked.

"Good... You are all good men. Now! We will leave Konola City first. One day! We will return! Return here! Return to Konola City! Return to reclaim our glory!"

Time was pressing, so even Mainesi could only hold a brief rally. After delivering this "inspirational speech," amid the ear-splitting roars of the warriors, Mainesi deftly controlled the Levitation Spell to carry himself forward. The soldiers around him consciously made way, and he slowly approached an inconspicuous-looking wall with calm confidence.

Then... there was no dazzling blaze of light, no endless thunderous rumbling. A pitch-black opening simply appeared soundlessly in the wall. Most importantly... no one, including Punk with his system, could detect even the slightest sign of magic or trace of casting. It was as though the opening had simply appeared there in an instant!

Even as he entered the opening behind the impassioned warriors, Punk remained deeply wary of Mainesi's methods. A Formal Level expert was still a Formal Level expert. Even in such an awkward state near death, he could not be underestimated!

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