After Fars and Danis had settled down in a remote area away from the camp, he finally found a moment of respite to gather his thoughts and study the only high-tier spell he could learn at the moment.
What to do next required careful consideration. Fars had limited knowledge about the Gonsago Ruins, and the little he did know came from overhearing conversations among Master Perugino and his companions. It was impossible for them not to be wary of Fars; anything he could hear was trivial, while the real secrets were discussed in their tents. In this situation, Fars was often sent out to keep watch. At this moment, the prudent Fars was glad to keep his distance. Lacking strong self-defense capabilities, the less he knew, the better. It was wise to avoid being silenced should they decide to eliminate any potential threats. Well, here he was, all alone again. It didn't matter how he referred to himself; he no longer needed to grovel or flatter them. This time, he could call himself whatever he pleased.
However, Fars did not believe they could explore the ruins with complete confidence. Their behavior today suggested they had some knowledge of the Gonsago Ruins' secrets and possessed a map. They likely obtained the same crystal chip that Fars had when they acquired the map. If they knew everything, why would they hesitate to enter the Misty Forest?
Alone, Fars knew that his only advantage was that everyone was unfamiliar with this place. Following them might eventually lead him to the heart of the ruins, but their cautious nature meant they wouldn't risk trying various methods. Each of their lives was far too valuable; if someone were to fall, and the gains were insufficient to quell the Medici family's anger, it would all be for nothing. Yet, not everyone was utterly loyal to the family they served. Mages, especially high-tier ones, were unlikely to be blindly devoted. If they discovered any artifacts or treasures within the ruins, it was not beyond reason that they might betray their masters. The Medici family might have sent a few young elite members along for training, but they could also serve as a means of supervision. The minds of nobles were complex; with their needs met, they often resorted to schemes to stave off boredom.
Now, as a solitary figure, Fars was free to try various approaches, provided he ensured his own safety. Perhaps he could reach the center of the ruins before them. This was not impossible; in adventures, strength alone did not guarantee the best rewards. Fars had participated in several adventuring parties, where mages, despite being the most pampered members, often found the distribution of spoils heavily skewed. The captain would take the lion's share, with the rogue receiving only slightly less.
Why was this the case? It often happened when there were no overwhelmingly powerful individuals in the party. A rogue's survival depended on their skills! They could easily handle ordinary high-tier professionals or magical beasts, but in the Frozen Lake, they struggled to catch a high-tier rogue. No one could guarantee that if the spoils did not satisfy a rogue's greed, they wouldn't resort to theft and escape. Chasing down a rogue of equal strength in an unfamiliar place could be quite a headache.
What else could a rogue's signature skill be if not thievery? Could one expect a rogue to faithfully worship the God of Light and obey the law? Unless they truly trusted their companions, who would feel safe bringing in a rogue from outside? This distribution of spoils was a common unspoken rule, but if it were merely about hunting magical beasts, the distribution would shift slightly, with rogues receiving the same share as ordinary teammates. This was undeniable, especially in exploring ruins filled with traps and mechanisms, where their skills were invaluable.
Meanwhile, as Fars departed, Joanna and the others, after a slight sigh of relief, still felt immense pressure. They couldn't understand how so many vengeful spirits had come to be here. They had already activated the third high-tier protective barrier, and this time it wasn't a divine series scroll. The effectiveness of this barrier was somewhat diminished; its primary purpose was to shield everyone's minds from influence, while the task of withstanding the vengeful spirits' onslaught fell to the great knight Durl.
The aura of an eighth-tier knight was indeed far more potent than that of a sixth or seventh-tier swordsman or knight. Those sixth and seventh-tier swordsmen could at most unleash a few aura slashes using their weapons or enhance their techniques with aura. Creating a shield with sheer aura was quite challenging; even if they could, it wouldn't last long. The "idle" individuals present understood that the situation was dire. The Medici family, known as one of the wealthiest in the Milio Empire, couldn't afford to use their magical scrolls recklessly. Although the family provided a fair number of scrolls, most were of low to mid-tier quality. With numerous factions within the family, it was unlikely to acquire many resources directly, even for the first heir before becoming the head of the family; their authority was still limited compared to the elders.
Fortunately, Joanna, Agno, and Parnassus came from prominent families, which allowed them to secure substantial resources for their journey. Their parents, naturally concerned for their safety, had discreetly provided them with many high-tier consumables.
Although Parnassus might not have the same assertiveness as the other two, his father was the chief steward of the family's finances. While he was merely a side branch and hadn't attained the status of a respected elder, his authority was undeniable, and he held considerable influence among the side members. Thanks to his father's connections, Parnassus had indeed amassed a significant stockpile of valuable items, rivaling that of Joanna and her brother.
The protective barrier quickly fell to the relentless assault of the fearless vengeful spirits, and now it was Parnassus's turn to contribute. The wealthier someone was, the more miserly they tended to be, and this saying held true for many affluent individuals, including Parnassus. Even when their lives were at stake, he wore a pained expression. However, hoarding resources was futile; once a life was lost, everything was gone. To give Durl a moment to catch his breath, Parnassus produced the most effective holy scroll against the vengeful spirits. A dazzling shield of pure light rose once more, forcefully pushing back the multitude of spirits.
The great knight finally showed signs of fatigue, sitting down to recover his drained aura. With Parnassus using the scroll, Joanna felt much more at ease. Specialization was indeed key; if they were besieged by magical beasts, these powerful young individuals would have drawn their swords long ago, rather than feeling so trapped within a small barrier. Complaining about their predicament would yield no results.
There was still a long way to dawn, and the duel between Perugino and the vengeful spirit leader had yet to reach a conclusion.
Watching two pure mages battle could be somewhat dull, aside from the visually appealing light effects. This time was no different; the spirit's attacks were mostly intangible, while Master Perugino relied on incantations or dispelling spells. Unless the spirit unleashed a wave of dark energy, Master Perugino would only raise a dazzling shield to protect himself.
Since they couldn't comprehend how the two were attacking and dodging, they couldn't discern who had the upper hand, which only heightened their anxiety.
This was not like the previous encounter with the Blue Wolf King, where Durl could assist and buy time for the mage to cast spells.
In high-level mage duels, powerful spells were rarely employed due to time constraints; the casting time was the most critical issue.
Similarly, mages understood how to interrupt each other's spells and how to counter them, but this was only applicable when their strengths were evenly matched.
The only good news was that Master Perugino had yet to show signs of fatigue. Although he had been ambushed at the start, he possessed many valuable items. His robe was a high-tier magical item, and he had his staff out, adorned with countless protective charms. Compared to the vulnerable spirit, he held a significant advantage. At the very least, if they could hold out until dawn without too many unforeseen events, they would have a solid chance.
While the battle raged on, Fars was not faring much better. He had expected to find a moment of rest but was caught off guard by the encroaching vine creatures. The area he had previously traversed was mostly cleared of these vines, but the new location was still overrun with them.
Without the support of a group, Fars found himself in a precarious situation. Danis was of little help against the vines, and reluctantly, Fars had to plunge into the Misty Forest. Fortunately, the vines seemed unwilling to enter, sparing him from being drained dry.
Once he had calmed down, Fars dared not linger in one spot for too long, abandoning his long-awaited desire to learn that spell. Following the previous instructions from the crystal chip had led him back to the entry point. To test this, Fars obediently retraced his steps. Sure enough, he returned to the same spot, greeted by a multitude of vines springing forth to welcome him, a scene that was truly terrifying, prompting him to dive back into the Misty Forest.
If moving forward was futile, then perhaps moving backward would work. After all, he hadn't encountered any dangerous creatures inside yet. It might just be a simple maze. However, Fars had no idea how to solve it. He could attempt brute force, but relying on intelligence was another option. Trying to break through a maze that covered an entire forest was no small feat. If it were that easy, Master Perugino would have done so long ago. Trusting in his luck to navigate his way to becoming a high-tier mage, Fars was beginning to doubt his own aptitude for this kind of problem-solving.
The Misty Forest didn't seem very large. After walking backward for nearly two hours, he found himself back at the starting point. After two such exhausting attempts, dawn was finally approaching. The weary vampire decided to stop his futile efforts and found a large tree at the edge of the forest to take shelter and recover his energy.