Escape the Trap

Hearing what Lynn had just said, the entire group fell silent.

Was that even the common tongue he was speaking?

Even Gray, the Orc warrior who knew nothing about magic, opened his mouth but found himself unable to say a word.

Though he did not fully understand what Lynn's display meant, he knew that the proud young lady in his party—the self-proclaimed greatest mage in Colin Town—was absolutely incapable of doing it.

If the Magic Association discovered this kid's talent, those old fogeys would definitely be unable to sit still.

Thinking of how he had accompanied his teammates to the Magic Association to handle a mission last time, only to be denied entry because "those who do not understand magic are not allowed inside," Gray's teeth itched with anger.

But he also understood that on this continent, whether humans, elves, or other races, all revered magic above all else. Mages, as pure spellcasters, naturally held exceptional status.

As for Orcs, whose innate affinity for magic was infinitely close to zero, their status was easy to imagine. Otherwise, a three-star Adventurer like him would not have ended up serving as a bodyguard for a bunch of rookie mages.

"Mr. Gray," Lynn said respectfully, cold air swirling around him. "Sorry to trouble you. I'll do my best to deal with the monsters and save you some time."

The Orc warrior was silent for two seconds, then his expression gradually softened. He strode over to Lynn and waved the shield in his left hand.

"You focus on attacking. Leave the defense to me."

With that, he took up a stance and shielded Lynn behind him.

In the forest ahead, many Crystal Monsters had already detached themselves from the trees they had parasitized. However, their "eggs" still remained on those trees, so the Crystal Monsters did not leave immediately. Instead, they bristled with spikes like pufferfish, looking ready to attack at any moment.

Lynn said nothing more and focused all his attention on controlling his magic.

Thanks to the effect brought by [Mana Web], his mana pool had increased by at least five times. Coupled with its continuous automatic recovery, his actual reserves should have been even greater.

And Lynn had a feeling that this was definitely not his limit!

Still, all it did was increase the number of spells he could cast.

Lynn felt that using magic was like throwing a shot put. Casting a spell was like picking up the shot put from the ground—the most basic step.

How cleverly one threw that shot put afterward, whether it reached the desired position or achieved the intended effect, depended on one's control.

In the field of magic, a caster's mental strength directly affected the difficulty of forming spells, as well as the precision and endurance of their control.

In this regard, Lynn was still a novice.

So he had to end this quickly.

Guided by his mental power, two spinning wheels streaked along curved paths, like two sharp silver lines that sent chills through anyone in their path.

Crack, crack, crack—

The Crystal Monsters' incredibly hard crystal shells, capable of withstanding greatsword strikes, were sliced apart by the sharp edges of the wheels as easily as hot knives through butter. Crystal fragments flew everywhere.

Even Lynn had not expected it to be so easy. But forcibly controlling two Frost Rings was still somewhat difficult for him. With one slight lapse, the spinning wheels veered off their intended paths and crashed directly into a large tree.

With a boom, most of one Frost Ring shattered, and the trunk of that tree split apart as well. Its crystallized bark peeled away in flakes.

Lynn simply dismissed that Frost Ring. Controlling just one was much easier.

At that moment, seeing their "eggs" destroyed, the Crystal Monsters let out shrill cries and charged at Lynn like mad.

Gray kept his word. He planted his feet apart and slammed sword against shield, producing a piercing noise.

The Crystal Monsters immediately switched targets and locked onto Gray.

You have to attack the minion with taunt first?

Having a warrior protecting him was rather reassuring... Lynn relaxed and focused all his strength on controlling the spinning wheel, cutting down the monsters that had conveniently gathered together.

For a time, crystal shards and ice fragments flew through the air.

Was slaughtering monsters really this easy? The three mages, their mana nearly depleted, stared in stunned silence.

That was the advantage of sustained magic. As long as it could be supplied with mana continuously, it could keep functioning.

The male mage who had been so arrogant just moments ago watched until his face turned green.

What kind of monster is this guy? Is his mana free? How can he use it like that?

"Lynn! You're amazing!"

After Lynn killed the last Crystal Monster, Elaine was the first to run over. She stared fixedly at him, her eyes so bright they were almost frightening.

"What magic was that just now? Was it first-circle magic? That can't be possible, right? How could a first-circle spell be that powerful?"

Her face drew closer and closer, and the faint floral scent on her body nearly drifted into Lynn's nose.

Lynn could not help taking a step back.

"It was nothing, really. These monsters are naturally vulnerable to magic. Their actual bodies are not even as strong as Goblins..."

They simply don't deserve to be called two-star monsters. At most, they're one and a half stars.

They can only bully professions that can't use magic.

Elaine was still brimming with excitement. This was the first time she had watched a battle between a spellcaster and monsters from so close. Lynn's overwhelming performance was even more thrilling than anything she had read in books.

Lynn grew a little embarrassed under her stare. Just as he was about to put away the Frost Ring and count the spoils, he suddenly saw a tentacle hanging down from a branch above.

"Watch out!" Without time to think, he instinctively raised his arm and blocked the sneak attack.

With the sound of flesh tearing, the sharp tentacle plunged into Lynn's arm, twisting his expression with pain.

Damn, this mage body isn't even tougher than my body in my previous life!

Enduring the intense pain, Lynn quickly grabbed the tentacle with his other hand, not giving it a chance to escape.

With a hard yank, a black ball of flesh covered in tentacles fell from the tree. He slammed it into the dirt.

A Mana-Sucking Monster!?

Lynn's eyes widened. This thing was also a two-star monster, but it was extremely rare. Why had it suddenly appeared in the outer region?

"Ring, come!"

He summoned the Frost Ring and attacked with all his strength, slicing the ugly monster open until its flesh was torn apart. Yet it did not die immediately.

"Stay alert!" Gray immediately raised his sword and shouted, signaling everyone to gather around him.

Because of the earlier accident, Lynn and Elaine had already moved more than ten meters away from him.

Just as the three panicked mages ran toward Gray, the earth beneath his feet cracked open, and countless dark green vines shot out like lightning, tightly binding the Orc warrior.

The sword in his hand also clattered to the ground.

The three mages were knocked down by the upheaving dirt as well. In an instant, vines surrounded them like venomous snakes.

Fortunately, Lynn and Elaine had happened to avoid the attack.

An ambush!

Lynn immediately wanted to activate [Blink Step] and flee.

But his gaze suddenly fell upon Elaine in front of him.

The half-elf girl was instead cradling his injured arm, holding her staff near the wound with one hand.

Streams of green light flowed from the gem atop the staff.

Lynn immediately felt warmth spreading through his body, as if he were filled with life.

Visible to the naked eye, the wound on his arm began to heal and returned to normal in the blink of an eye.

Yet his face showed an expression somewhere between laughter and tears. Shouldn't she have been taking cover first at a time like this? How could she still have the mind to heal him?

"Run." Lynn grabbed Elaine's arm and pulled her swiftly toward the edge of the forest.

Glancing back in haste, he saw that the Orc warrior had already been completely restrained by the vines. As for the three mages, their mana exhausted, all they could do in the face of the sudden attack was wave their staffs.

Good thing I didn't dismiss the Frost Ring in a hurry...

While silently celebrating, Lynn controlled the spinning wheel to cut through the vines rushing toward them.

Elaine began chanting as well. A few seconds later, an invisible breeze enveloped them both, and Lynn immediately felt his steps become much lighter.

[Longstrider]? That seemed to be a first-circle spell.

Lynn was not surprised that Elaine knew a first-circle spell. After all, the greatest barrier to first-circle magic was money.

Twenty minutes later, the two finally left the forest and entered an open plain, a place monsters would not set foot in.

"Let's rest for a while. I have water. We need to reach Colin Town before dark and report this to the authorities."

Lynn found the whole matter far too strange. Worried that the guards at the checkpoints ahead might have questionable intentions, he gave up on returning by the main road.

"Elaine?" Only then did he notice that the half-elf girl had not said a word.

Looking closely, he saw that her face was pale, and she even seemed somewhat dazed.