Guardian

"Take it, my disciple."

Tamara looked at the disciple who had satisfied her so greatly. "For such an important graduation ceremony, how could a master offer nothing at all?"

"This bow! Isn't it yours...?"

Her master shook her head, stopping her disciple's question with a smile.

Her expression gradually turned solemn, carrying both gravity and entrustment, yet seeming equally full of encouragement for those who came after.

She said with great solemnity, "This bow is called the Green Guardian. It can empower your arrows with razor-sharp gales. Once you have mastered it, you may even shoot through stone. It should be a considerable aid to you."

"But it was born neither for hunting nor for slaughter. I give it to you in the hope that you will understand the meaning of protection. I hope that throughout your life, you will never disgrace the duty of a guardian or the heart of a hunter!"

Tamara's voice suddenly softened again. She gazed tenderly at her flustered disciple and gently stroked his forehead. "But... I suppose I no longer need to teach you that lesson, do I?"

"I... understand!" Sian nodded solemnly and accepted the inherited bow from his master.

Tamara smiled. "Don't worry about me lacking a suitable weapon. I still have my shortbow, and I also asked Xiao Na to bring your bow. Though it seems you no longer need it."

After patting the two youngsters on the head, Tamara rose to her feet and nodded to Bashana. "Rest for a while. The two of you can use this time to familiarize yourselves with your new weapons. Next, we'll be heading for Elder Rise Heights. Xiao Na will explain what happened along the way."

"Huh? Um... all right."

Sian was somewhat bewildered. Only now did he belatedly realize that his master and the others had apparently not come specifically to rescue them. But they had brought Liman along, so this must have been part of the plan. Still, why was Xiao Na with his master and the others?

Thinking of that inexplicable pursuit, Sian suddenly had a bad feeling.

Tamara nodded. "Aldo, reconnaissance is up to you!"

The old hunter answered. At the sound of a crisp whistle, a large, plump bird flew down crookedly and landed on the hardened leather arm guard he held out. It cooed a few times, looking utterly exhausted.

The hunter hurriedly pulled out strips of dried insect meat from his satchel and fed his beloved companion with pained concern.

The poor little thing had flown all the way here and was completely worn out. Its feathers were a total mess, and it could barely muster the energy to peck at even its favorite dried insect meat.

Seeing this, its owner completely transformed into an overprotective pet parent. Even little Baine, who had come over to watch, was shouted away. The reason was that he was too clumsy and always secretly poked the little creature's head, making it unable to eat in peace.

Leaning nearby, Sian watched the heartwarming scene from afar and could not help laughing.

Amid the laughter, he suddenly thought of his parents, whose whereabouts were unknown.

They must have been praying silently too, right? Just as he was now, offering a selfish little prayer—not asking to help countless people, only asking that those he loved remain safe and sound.

Not long after the group left, the Centaur's remains began to tremble again. Fragments of its body seemed drawn by something and gradually gathered together.

What an intense will to survive. Had Sian seen this, he might have complained that this fellow's vitality was tougher than a cockroach's.

Yet although his body was reviving, the Centaur had still underestimated the power of Tamara's Arcane Shot.

This was no ordinary magical arrow. Arcane energy had not only enhanced its destructive power but also imbued it with a dispelling effect, preventing his body from gathering together for a long time. Even after his flesh and tissue had regenerated, he still failed to form a proper shape.

In the end, he congealed into something as disgusting as a rubble slime. A lump of slime wriggled across the ground. Even stranger, the thing had retained its vocal organs. Its resentment clearly ran deep.

"Damn it, damn it! Damn it!! Damn it!!!"

The slime wriggled aimlessly, utterly unaware of the demon emerging from the shadows.

"Well, well. Isn't this my loyal subordinate? How did you end up looking like this?"

"What?!" The slime's startled expression was hideous, and filthy mud spilled from its writhing mouth.

"Fine, fine. I suggest you stay away from me, you filthy lump of rotten meat."

Vel'th the witch doctor leaped back several steps in disgust, dramatically fanning the air before his nose. "They say even a villain needs a certain degree of elegance, but look at your pitiful state. Where's even a trace of elegance in you?"

The slime roared itself hoarse. "Th-this wasn't my intention! Those damned lower creatures persecuted me into this state! I want revenge, Master! I want revenge! Your cause still needs me! Give me power, just as you did before!"

Vel'th shook his head and said regretfully, "What a pity. I think you may have misunderstood my cause."

"There are three things I hate most. The first... is probably arrogant fools who lack ability, like some so-called God of Nightmare. Seeing that ugly face is as disgusting as swallowing a frog alive!"

Vel'th counted on his fingers, somehow wearing a serious expression.

"The second is falling short at the very end. Imagine putting every effort into something and completing 99.9 percent of it, only to stumble over the final 0.1 percent. How do you think you would feel?"

"The third... hmm, let me think... My apologies, it seems I haven't made up a third one yet."

"But that's fine. Two will do. So why not guess, my dear test subject—which one suits you better?"

Vel'th wore an exceptionally warm smile, yet it sent a chill down Stone Spear's spine, though a slime probably did not have a spine.

Stone Spear had seen that smile before, and every person who made the witch doctor wear it had vanished without a trace.

No! It should not be like this. His master valued him so highly. None of this should have happened!

He hurriedly begged for his master's forgiveness. "W-wait, great Master, I am your most loyal servant, test—"

Stone Spear's voice abruptly caught, and despairing darkness completely enveloped him.

When had he ever developed the illusion that he was not a test subject?

That was the last thought in Stone Spear's mind. Before he could react, shadowy claws pierced his core from top to bottom.

Vel'th withdrew his claws and muttered to himself with some annoyance, "Could helping me deal with your own kind have given you some unnecessary illusion?"

"If that's truly the case, then in your next life, you should reflect on yourself properly. A smart person should never easily believe in things obtained so effortlessly."

Vel'th twisted his claws, ruthlessly digging the slime's core out. It was an earth-yellow crystal mixed with flesh and blood, proving that all his talk of disgust had been a lie.

"Desire, greed, brutality, recklessness... these excellent qualities often arise from uncontrollable power."

"And the uncontrollable signifies chaos and disorder..."

Gazing at the bizarre elemental core, Vel'th suddenly smiled. He murmured, "Yet that is what is most valuable. My dear Khan, can that pathetic little brain of yours understand this?"

"Let me offer up chaos as a farewell gift for ten years of companionship!"

Vel'th raised Stone Spear's core high. Shadow energy flowed from his arm into it, then erupted in a massive spreading ripple. After that, everything fell silent, as though nothing had ever happened.

"Come, entertain me! You lowly insects among insects!"

"If you can please a god, then your wretched lives will not have walked this world in vain!"