Chapter Seventy-Four: The Beastmen

After gradually dispersing the aura around him, Provis turned his head to glance at the lingering sparks still burning, his brows furrowing: "Another magician!"

"But it seems this magician poses little threat to us—or perhaps none at all..."

Another soul master approached slowly, casting a peculiar look in the direction where Will had fled.

"Gus, I must remind you—right now, we are not without threats. Did you see? The two of them escaped toward the mist zone... Those creatures are the real danger!"

Gus's expression darkened, but then a sinister smile twisted his lips: "Don't worry, my dear Vis. Even if they've entered the mist, they're no more than ants to us. Just like that female magician before..."

"Hmph, that's not the same! Gus, don't forget—she wasn't an ant. She alone took down seven soul masters, including three of our strongest!"

"But in the end, didn't she suffer serious injuries and flee into the mist? Besides... heh, Vis, with three soul masters dead, that means we've got three fewer competitors..."

Gus winked at Provis with a hint of amusement, and for once, the usually stern Provis allowed himself a wicked grin, as if he'd forgotten all about the threat he'd spoken of earlier. He licked his lips in excitement: "You're right, Gus—absolutely right!"

"So what do we do now?"

Upon seeing the expression on Provis's face, Gus's eyes flickered strangely, but he quickly regained composure, so Provis noticed nothing amiss.

"This mist zone is odd, and those creatures lurk within... But all our support is gone. No matter what, we have to enter again, find those two and the female magician, finish them, so we can focus on dealing with those monsters!"

"You speak the truth, Provis!"

Gus let out a quiet laugh, silently adding to himself, "When it comes down to the end, I'll deal with you as well..."

...

Not long after Will entered the mist zone, he was surprised to find it suffused with a strange power. This force was immense, exerting a unique suppression on all energy nearby. Luckily, Will's own strength wasn't affected. He could feel the oppressive power quite clearly, yet he wondered why he hadn't been influenced.

Perhaps the suppressive force of the mist only targeted powerful energies, while weaker or non-threatening forces escaped its notice.

Like himself.

At that thought, Will wasn't sure whether he should feel fortunate for his lack of strength—or mournful...

"Boss?"

Unlike Will, Buck was just an ordinary man. Upon entering the mist, he only felt the air grow oppressively heavy, without noticing anything else. When he saw Will pause, he mistakenly thought something was wrong and hurried forward to ask.

"Buck, do you know which direction we're headed?"

Buck's voice pulled Will from his reverie. Looking around, Will saw that the mist here was even denser than before. In just a short time, his and Buck's clothes were soaked through, and with every breath, he felt a faint ache in his lungs.

"I've never entered the mist zone myself, but I've heard some things from that old codger. We should be in the central part of the Wildwood now. If we go deeper, we'll reach the tribes of the savages."

As he spoke, Buck tore two strips from his sleeve and handed one to Will. "Better cover your nose with this. Otherwise, traveling through this mist, we might not be threatened by anything else, but by inhaling so much vapor, we'll die of pulmonary edema!"

"I wouldn't have guessed you know about such things..."

"Trust me, my esteemed boss—you'll find I know more than just this!"

"I'll look forward to it..."

Will gave a slight smile, took the strip from Buck, and wrapped it around his face, covering his mouth and nose.

"All right, Buck, which direction do you think we should flee?"

"North!"

Buck's face grew serious as he replied, "That's where the orc tribes are, the closest settlement to us. Among all the savage races, the orcs are the most formidable. If we head straight north to their tribe, perhaps we can use them to deal with those two pursuers!"

"Hmm..."

Will nodded unconsciously at Buck's suggestion. Even if those two soul masters had their powers suppressed in the mist, one mustn't forget—these were soul masters! Two of the highest rank, and even without their soul force, their martial skills alone would be beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Thus, the two fled toward the orc tribe as quickly as possible. The ground in the mist zone was much better than the swampy forest they'd traversed before. Shrubs and other plants couldn't survive in the thick humidity, making travel much easier. Nevertheless, by dawn the next day, they were finally caught.

"Heh, finally found you..."

Provis sneered, striding toward Will and Buck. He and Gus had searched the cursed mist zone all night to find them, and Gus was even more annoyed, for his own strength had been reduced to its lowest point—barely able to muster a thread of aura.

If they encountered those creatures now...

The thought made Provis shudder, recalling those bloodthirsty horrors. He cursed inwardly, and his gaze toward Will and Buck grew cold and cruel, as if to vent his frustration. He extended two fingers, condensing a sharp blade of aura at his fingertips.

Such a feat was the limit of what Provis could manage in his current state, but he no longer cared. With a wild cry, he lunged at Will, slashing with the blade of aura.