Farad quickly attempted to retrieve a potion from his storage item using the last of his strength.
However, to his dismay, nothing came out when he reached for it.
It became apparent to him that he had lost the ability to harness his mana, and he could sense his remaining strength slipping away rapidly.
'Am I going to die?'
As he struggled with this realization, fear set in as he was unable to muster the energy to communicate with his teammates and seek help.
Coincidentally, Magnus, who occasionally glanced at Farad's location, gradually frowned as a sense of unease crept over him.
The moment he saw Farad lying motionless on the cold, hard floor, he immediately realized that something was seriously wrong with Farad's condition.
Magnus was torn between rushing to Farad's side to check on him and defending himself from the relentless attacks of the towering Ice Golem that seemed to have singled him out.
As the chaos unfolded, he urgently called out to his other teammates: "Gilgamel, something has happened to Farad!"
In a square room, Gilgamel and Medelien found themselves surrounded by two helpless abyssal creatures. They lay writhing on the ground, their bodies convulsing as though they had been struck by lightning.
"Hey, Gil. This is the best way to get points!" Medelien exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement.
The corridor was filled with crackling energy from Farad's powerful lightning field, which surged through the air and zapped the helpless abyssal creatures below level 9.
Luckily, the potent magic spell was designed specifically to target enemies. Otherwise, Gilgamel and Medelien would have found themselves immobilized on the ground, just like the abyssal creatures before them.
"Hurry up, get over with it. We need to visit other rooms." Gilgamel urged Medelien to hasten, motioning toward the prone abyssal creatures.
With a flick of his wrist, he raised his staff and invoked the magic spell: "Air Bullet!"
A translucent vortex of wind materialized at the staff's apex and coalesced into a projectile.
Without hesitation, Gilgamel released the concentrated blast, the force of which surged forward with a resounding "Puchi!"
The air bullet successfully penetrates the head of the abyssal creature.
The air was punctuated by a sharp "DING!" as a "1" appeared on the screen of his point device.
"It's your turn, Medelien," Gilgamel said with an encouraging smile.
Medelien nodded gravely and produced a peculiar black wooden spatula from her storage item.
Gilgamel's expression flickered for a moment at the sight of it.
No matter how many times he witnessed it, he couldn't help but find Medelien's taste in choosing magic staff was exceptionally eccentric.
Each wizard's chosen magic staff is a reflection of their unique style and personality.
Gilgamel's unassuming yet elegant magic wand fits perfectly in his hand, exuding a sense of understated power.
Farad's spear-shaped staff speaks to his role as a close combat wizard, radiating an aura of strength and precision.
Magnus's choice of a magic staff modelled after Sun Wukong's legendary staff evokes a sense of timeless heroism and indomitable spirit.
Medelien's choice of a spatula-shaped magic staff may have been due to her passion and dedication as a chef and a spellcaster.
"Wind Blade!"
Medelien harnessed the swirling currents of wind from her surroundings and imbued her magic staff with its power. With a confident, fluid motion, she swung her staff vertically, conjuring a razor-sharp, blade-like gust of wind that soared menacingly toward the remaining abyssal creature.
The next moment, a notification flashed on her point device, indicating their triumph.
"Onto the next room!" Medelien announced with exuberance, leading the way as Gilgamel followed closely behind.
Just like that, each of Medelien and Gilgamel got three points in an easy and sweat-free way.
However, when they were about to get to the fourth point, Magnus's scream suddenly reached their ears, which made them immediately rush out of the square room and run to check on Farad.
"Oh dear, he got pretty messed up this time," Gilgamel muttered as he examined Farad's pulse.
Worriedly, Medelien asked: "Did he die?"
Gilgamel, without answering, shook his head with a touch of melancholy.
Shocked, Medelien cried out, "My poor Farad. You are still young and could have a promising future, but why must you die this early? Bo-hoo..."
Gilgamel was speechless and angrily rebuked her, "What nonsense are you spewing? He is still alive!"
"Eh?" Medelien wiped her tears, froze for a moment, and then furiously said, "You almost got me misunderstood, Gilgamel!"
Rolling his eyes, Gilgamel responded: 'I think it's your imagination that runs too wild!'"
Medelien sobbed as she gazed at motionless Farad and asked worriedly, "Is he going to be okay?"
Gilgamel took a deep breath and replied, "The venom of the Green Chameleon is potent, but it won't immediately take Farad's life. His robust immune system will slow down the spread of the poison over the next three days."
"And then what?" Medelien's voice quivered with uncertainty.
Gilgamel looked at her, revealed a wide smile and said: "Should I spell it out for you?"
"No, never mind..." Medelien choked as she answered that. But then she pressed on, "What should we do now? Should we stop here and retreat?"
Gilgamel's expression turned serious. "A potion alone won't fully neutralize the poison in his body. Even though a minor surgical procedure isn't necessary, the process to completely rid his body of the poison will be lengthy."
After saying that, he looked at Magnus, who was still locked in combat with the Ice Golem. Then, he shifted his gaze to Medelien. His eyes bore into her with intense scrutiny, causing her to shift uncomfortably under his gaze.
"What is it?" Medelien asked, her tone defensive.
"Can you ensure my safety?"
Gilgamel's uncertainty seeped into his words, inadvertently offending Medelien. In response, she quickly asserted herself, declaring, "Gilgamel, despite my appearance, I am a level 9 First Circle Wizard! While I may not possess the combat prowess of Farad and Magnus, I am more than capable of handling abyssal creatures below level 9. As luck would have it, there are no such creatures here besides that imposing Ice Golem. Even if a couple of the abyssal beings you've trapped behind that stone barrier manage to break free, I can still shield you from them. You can trust in my abilities and concentrate on your own tasks with peace of mind."
Gilgamel thought for a moment before nodding.
Although Medelien always looked unreliable, she was actually... indeed unreliable.
"Never mind!"
Gilgamel swiftly conjured an Earth Wall, enclosing himself and Farad in a square chamber. Before sealing the barrier, he warned Medelien, "Remember to protect yourself!"
Medelien seethed with anger as she watched the scene unfold. She keenly sensed the contempt underlying Gilgamel's actions.
"Humph, just wait and see! I am more than capable of defending myself and my allies," she declared with unwavering determination, brandishing a spatula in her hand.
In a square chamber, Gilgamel carefully wrapped his palms with a white elastic handkerchief to prepare for the treatment.
After that, he gently removed the remaining clothes that were adhered to Farad's body, exposing his well-defined muscular physique. Intricately horrifying green veins had crept across his pallid skin, resembling the delicate patterns of spider webs.
Without wasting a moment, he reached into his item storage and withdrew a vial of Poison Removing Potion. Carefully, he poured the potion onto Farad's skin, eliciting a sharp "pssst" sound. A cloud of white steam billowed from Farad's skin, resembling the effect of pouring cold water onto a hot pan.
Despite his unconscious state, Farad winced in pain. However, the distressing green lines that had been rapidly spreading across his skin came to an immediate halt.
Gilgamesh stood patiently as the steam on Farad's body gradually dissipated, and his body temperature began to decrease. Once he was certain that Farad was stable, Gilgamesh carefully positioned his hand directly above the Green Chameleon's toxic core on Farad's body. With great care and determination, he softly uttered the word, "Purify!"
In the next instant, a torrent of water flowed from Gilgamel's palm, cascading and gradually permeating every inch of Farad's form. Instead of enveloping him, the water gracefully infiltrated the pores of Farad's skin.
With closed eyes, Gilgamel focused intently. He meticulously diffused his purifying water within Farad, expunging every trace of the toxic substances wreaking havoc inside him.
The monotonous task dragged on for what seemed like an eternity. As a result, Gilgamel found himself incapable of diverting his attention to anything happening beyond the confines of the square chamber.