With a high-level demon by his side, Fars had no reason to worry about any beasts disturbing them. If he were to encounter a lord-level beast, he would simply have to accept his fate.
The forest remained dense and dark, with towering ancient trees casting shadows all around. The maze guarding the Gonsago ruins showed no signs of being affected by the demon's escape. Fars couldn't help but admire the demon; for him and the former Master Perugino, traversing this dense forest had been an arduous task. Yet the demon moved through it effortlessly, without a hint of hesitation, guiding Fars through the shifting paths. It seemed they had not taken any unnecessary detours, and soon enough, they emerged from the maze.
The presence of a high-level demon was like a calamity for the vines at the forest's edge. Lacking much intelligence and acting purely on instinct, the vines were too frightened to show themselves. Fars calculated that, aside from the favor the demon owed him, their contract was essentially fulfilled. He had helped the demon escape, and in return, it had not harmed him and had led him out of the Gonsago ruins.
As Fars contemplated this, the demon set him down. Contrary to what one might expect, the demon was not particularly large or terrifying. Though Fars was of average height among humans, the demon was only slightly taller. Compared to the demon he had slain in the depths of the laboratory, this high-level demon exhibited clear demonic traits but lacked a menacing appearance. Ignoring its single horn and somewhat dull, greenish skin, it could even be considered handsome.
"While I don't know what your next steps will be, now that we've left the Gonsago ruins, I think it's time for us to part ways," Fars said first. His command of the Naisir language had improved significantly, though it might not be as polished as the demon's, it was sufficient for communication.
The demon felt no deep attachment to Fars. It held a certain fondness for the vampire who had freed it, having been sealed away for thousands of years in Elras. It was eager to leave this place, but upon emerging, it sensed that things had changed: "Has that era truly passed?"
Fars was not surprised by the demon's question. A millennium was indeed a long time, and the previous era did not collapse overnight; it had gradually declined. The demon had likely experienced that decline before being sealed.
The fall of the Naisir era was not a secret, and Fars had to acknowledge this fact. The demon seemed to reflect on it with a mix of nostalgia and melancholy. Fars understood this sentiment, especially after witnessing the complete decline of his own family. The rise and fall of empires, whether directly related to oneself or not, often prompted reflection.
"I can't repay that favor just yet. Once I return to the demon realm, it will be difficult for us to intersect again. After all, I have not yet ascended to a higher demon, so I cannot manifest my power in this realm. If you manage to survive until I become a higher demon, then I will repay you. My full name in Naisir is Yaltasi Panragun Insfat. With our contract in place, as long as you call my full name, I will sense it. But until I become a higher demon, I cannot respond to your requests." With that, the demon solemnly spoke to Fars before vanishing. It didn't tear through space to leave; it simply moved so quickly that Fars felt a momentary blur before the demon was gone, its last words echoing in his ears.
Fars had never been one to place his hopes in others, whether in life or death. He merely chuckled at the demon's "favor." Despite the demon's immense power, which was at the peak of high-level demons, it was still a thin line separating it from becoming a higher demon. This barrier had stymied countless human champions, and it was not easy for demons to cross it either.
Fars could only pray for the demon's swift ascension to a higher demon, hoping it might be of assistance in times of need. But he quickly dismissed that thought; higher demons were equivalent to deities. Should he really pray for their enemies to grow stronger?
Reflecting on the experiences of the past few days, Fars found it hard to describe them as anything but perilous. Yet they had only strengthened his resolve to pursue his dreams. Setting aside the legacy of a single mage, he now had the unclaimed legacies left by two great mages. This was enough to serve as the foundation for a grand family. However, Fars was still somewhat weak compared to the true powerhouses of Elras. If he were to reveal his wealth now, he would likely attract not just the McCass family and the Medici family, but many others as well. The Medici family, in particular, would demand retribution for the death of a mage, as it was a matter of their dignity. They needed to provide an explanation to the other powerful individuals they supported; they could not simply abandon someone who had lost their usefulness. Losing a mage would not only be a loss for the Medici family but would also erode trust among their allies. Who would be willing to serve the Medici family if they discarded their own?
Fars was uncertain whether it was the right time to emerge from hiding. Had he not encountered Joanna and her group, he might have ended up circling around the western side of the Qihar Mountains. Now that he had wasted so much time, he began to question whether heading west truly held good prospects. He had chosen that direction to temporarily evade the McCass family's pursuit, especially after accidentally killing a pair of noble youths during his trials. By now, the heat should have died down. Meeting Joanna and Agno had made Fars acutely aware of the gap between himself and the true elite of the great families. The McCass family was not much weaker than the Medici family. Although they were merely a royal family of a duchy, the favored members of the family likely possessed some form of magical beast. The deceased nobleman had not been particularly wealthy; his death would only cause a brief stir in the McCass duchy. Eventually, things would settle down, especially since no one knew who was responsible, making it impossible to issue a bounty. Moreover, Fars had left no witnesses; he had eliminated everyone and disposed of the bodies, leaving them to their misfortune.
After much contemplation, Fars concluded that the east might be more suitable for him. The blood clan had limited opportunities for development in the central and western empires of the continent. Furthermore, the influence of the Holy Light Church was growing, gradually conquering the faith of many nations and becoming the state religion. Their persecution of the blood clan was relentless, and their holy magic posed a significant threat to him. A single misstep could expose him, leading to endless flight. If he were targeted by the Inquisition or fanatics, no matter where he fled—even to the blood clan's stronghold—there would always be zealots pursuing him. Just thinking about it sent chills down his spine.
Based on the information shared by Perugino and the demon, it seemed that his inherited bloodline, the Hill bloodline, was not weak. If the contract from his inherited memories was genuine and the demon had not played tricks, the Hill family might still be one of the oldest and most prestigious families.
With this hope in mind, Fars was eager to align himself with them. He believed he could thrive within an ancient blood clan family. Being young and accomplished might not attract much attention as merely a vampire viscount, but as a high-level mage with a phoenix as his magical beast, he posed little threat to vampire nobles below the marquis level. As long as he was a vampire noble, he could establish a family, and his strength would likely surpass that of a count, allowing him to avoid discrimination wherever he went.
Remembering that he was a high-level mage, Fars felt a surge of impatience to learn the essential knowledge required for advanced mages. He was not lacking in magical tomes; although he had no teacher, Master Perugino had left behind a wide array of books. From various schools of magic to astronomy and geography, the collection was comprehensive. Since Perugino had leaned towards elemental magic, most of the tomes documented such spells. For Fars, as long as he could learn, it was sufficient. His physical condition was limited by various dark spells, but that was fine; a high-level mage should specialize in one area and not be greedy. He didn't even need to choose; he couldn't use spells from other schools, so what was the point of learning them? However, spells from the mysterious school or those related to time and space, or prophecy, had fewer restrictions on physical condition. As long as one was willing to learn, they could pursue them, but the problem was that most mages couldn't master them. Fars had considered that aside from specializing in darkness, he could learn such spells as a supplement. Currently, he had only mastered the high-level spell "Finger of Death," and the road ahead was still long. Learning was not something to rush.
Having determined his path for the foreseeable future, Fars, accompanied by Danis, began his discreet journey eastward. Although he moved slowly, it was still faster than his previous pace. Traveling light, he hid during the day to meditate and practice spells, absorbing knowledge from books, and at night, he flew onward without delay.
With countless treasures in his possession, Fars adopted a low profile. He only hunted magical beasts, being somewhat picky and only targeting high-level ones. However, no matter how low-key he was, he would eventually encounter others. When someone spotted a vampire, especially one of viscount rank, they would naturally be a level six or higher professional to dare roam the Qihar Mountains alone.
Unfortunately, the hunter failed to distinguish who the real prey was. Fars, having stumbled upon such an "interesting" target, decided to toy with him. Thus, a hunter, intent on delivering Fars's head to the church or the adventurer's guild for merit, found himself utterly defeated by Fars. This was largely due to Fars using high-level spells he was not yet fully adept at. Even though the spells themselves were powerful, without mastery, their essence was lost, and their effectiveness diminished.
To the hunter's surprise, Fars was a mage, and he unleashed a series of high-level spells. While they did not inflict significant damage, most of them "luckily" missed their target, leaving the hunter covered in dirt and shame. The situation had clearly shifted; the hunter had become the hunted, fleeing in panic across the mountains.