How does one become a true powerhouse? Talent and resources are undoubtedly the cornerstones of success. However, even the finest blade needs to be sharpened to reveal its edge. No matter how formidable your abilities, if you lack experience in the world, you could easily be outmaneuvered by an ordinary person.
Training, or experience, isn't merely about meddling in every affair that crosses your path. That's not called training; that's courting disaster. Being forced to fight and fleeing for your life is indeed a form of training, albeit one of the most arduous kinds. Fars had been chased and pressured by Joanna and her group for a while, but in the end, he had reaped significant rewards.
Now, looking at the chaotic scene before him, Fars had to seriously consider whether to quietly slip away or wade into this mess that didn't concern him.
A female thief? One who had attracted so many pursuers? And she had even fled to the cabin that he and Jessie had built together by the Cold Pool? It was impossible not to be curious. Fars thought that if he simply avoided this group and headed straight for his destination, whether his mediocre skills as a high-level mage would earn him any recognition was uncertain. However, if he lingered a bit longer, seeking suitable opponents and broadening his horizons, it would greatly benefit his development.
He was still a free man. With the vastness of Elras, he could live as he pleased. Aligning himself with the Hill family, which he barely understood, might lead to acceptance, but it also meant being under someone else's jurisdiction. Fars preferred to wait until he was powerful enough to establish his own family. That way, he could live life on his own terms.
Having made up his mind, Fars didn't expect to bury everyone below him; that would be far too difficult. There were at least fifty people gathered around the Cold Pool, and if they were all at an average level of around five, they would be considered mid-level professionals. Those from the same team would have complementary skills and work well together. Facing a group of ten alone, Fars estimated that victory would be hard-won. Against multiple such teams, it would be easy for them to overwhelm him.
Fars wasn't foolish; his advantage lay in the fact that others couldn't reach the heights he could. As long as he stayed airborne, they wouldn't be able to touch him. In fact, nearly all vampires who had mastered flight or could transform into bats could escape if they managed to break free and reach a safe altitude. Most vampires who died at the hands of humans were caught off guard, unable to flee in time. Those who were truly unfortunate, encountering enemies far beyond their level, wouldn't even have the chance to consider escape.
The key for Fars was to exploit the internal conflicts and contradictions among these pursuers. Training involved both wit and courage. Charging in just because he was stronger wouldn't count as true bravery. Of course, if the level gap was too great, one-sided slaughter wouldn't even be worth discussing.
What could possibly draw so many people here? The answer was simple: the female thief! Fars was well aware of this; the chatter below was hardly a secret.
The thief had stolen something and was labeled a criminal, leading to a bounty on her head similar to Fars's. However, the task was divided into two parts: capturing the thief and finding the wooden box she had stolen. The first task required her to be alive; a corpse would only yield half the reward. The second task clearly acknowledged that the thief might have hidden the item, making it possible to find her without retrieving the stolen goods.
Fars hadn't taken on this task; he had no vested interest in it and held no animosity toward the thief. The key to breaking the current stalemate lay in finding her. Once she revealed herself, Fars would have the opportunity to act, but whether he would help her depended on the circumstances.
Since Fars had removed all the ice crystals from the bottom of the Cold Pool, the continuous cold air that maintained the water's low temperature had dissipated. A month or two after his departure, the water's surface no longer emitted cold mist, making the area around it similar in temperature to other parts of the Qihar Mountains.
Given that the people below were still gathered here, unless the thief was exceptionally skilled and had evaded them, it was unlikely she had escaped unnoticed. Fars was intimately familiar with this place. There were only a few hiding spots; the woods would be too exposed to so many searches. The small valley not far from the Cold Pool, once home to his old neighbors—the lairs of two high-level magical beasts—seemed like a good place. It had caves and was relatively secluded.
However, the small valley might no longer be hidden. Fars's previous actions had likely attracted a group of people here; while they might not find him, they would certainly conduct a thorough search of the area. The two magical beasts that had once lived there would likely not escape unscathed. Considering this, Fars decided to check the small valley.
Thanks to the Qihar Mountains' year-round warmth, vegetation grew rapidly. The small valley had indeed suffered; many areas bore the scars of fierce battles. Though some time had passed, new herbs and low shrubs had begun to sprout. The tender grass swayed in the night breeze, and fresh green shoots emerged from the earth, creating a serene atmosphere. This place was not far from the Cold Pool, and there were signs of recent human activity nearby.
Most people must have been drawn to the Cold Pool. Fars carefully searched the valley, trying not to attract any unwanted attention. It wasn't that he feared them; he was more concerned about disrupting their perimeter and allowing the unknown thief to escape. These adventurers were unlikely to have much to offer; after feasting on the bounty from the fat sheep that was Perugino, they wouldn't be worth Fars's time. What intrigued him more was the thief and her possessions.
Aside from this location, the only other place to hide would be underwater. This puzzled Fars; the water temperature in the Cold Pool shouldn't be that cold anymore. With so many people around, they should have searched underwater. Could a living person really hide at the bottom of the water without surfacing?
Staring at the situation wouldn't solve anything. If he couldn't find the thief, he would have to stir the pot. Fars had only tested his newly learned Dark Dragon Destruction Slash once. Given its immense power, it could easily attract powerful magical beasts in the Qihar Mountains, so he rarely practiced it.
He didn't expect to kill many with a single strike; he wasn't planning to use this move against people. His target was the Cold Pool. If he didn't test whether there were any ambushers or the thief hiding underwater, how could he give up?
Being high in the air had its advantages; casting spells went uninterrupted. The only significant interference was the night wind, which was quite strong at such heights. Struggling to stabilize himself with his wings, Fars took out Perugino's wand. This wand was indeed a fine item, almost possessing a certain sentience. Fars, who had mastered the art of ritual magic, had been looking for a way to utilize it, and he effortlessly subdued the wand. Even if it wasn't suitable for his use, its inherent enhancement effects would still manifest.
The Dark Dragon Destruction Slash was among the most destructive high-level spells in the dark magic category. Although Fars had learned the Naishe language well enough, he still struggled to grasp the ancient incantations of magic, let alone cast them after learning.
The Cold Pool was quite expansive, and even from the air, Fars could lock onto it. If he couldn't hit such a target, he might as well jump into the Cold Pool and end it all.
The sudden descent of the high-level spell startled everyone below. A massive black dragon spiraled down from the sky, and no one could tell who the spell was aimed at. As a result, everyone scattered in panic. There was no need for the mage who had initially revealed Fars's arrival to explain; everyone could feel the overwhelming aura of destruction emanating from the black dragon. At least among the leaders, anyone struck would surely perish.
The Dark Dragon Destruction Slash hit the water, causing a violent eruption on the surface, sending a massive wave crashing toward the shore. The closest to the Cold Pool were the core members of various teams, who were relatively skilled. Upon seeing the black dragon, they immediately distanced themselves from its potential attack range.
With a series of splashes, several figures shot out of the water. There were indeed ambushers lurking below. Unfortunately for them, Fars's first target was the Cold Pool, their hiding place. Once they broke the surface, they abandoned their mission and hurried back to their teams.
The momentary chaos was quickly controlled by a few influential figures, preventing any accidental clashes between teams as they fled.
However, the chaos was precisely what Fars wanted, providing the thief with an opportunity to escape. Hovering above, he wasn't worried about the thief slipping away; he was more concerned about her not revealing herself.
If one attack wasn't enough, Fars could always follow up. Fortunately, he descended a bit, exposing himself to the crowd's view, making it easier for him to attack. He just needed to be cautious of any skilled archers who could threaten his safety.
To be safe, Fars activated the elemental shield of his robe and added another layer of protection. Raising his wand, he began casting spells in rapid succession. High-level spells took longer to cast, leaving a window for others to take advantage of. Therefore, Fars generally opted for mid to low-level spells, which could be cast quickly and allowed for a prompt response to sudden dangers without the risk of backlash from interrupted magic.
After nearly half an hour of hard work, Fars had endured quite a bit. His armor had been pierced by various arrows, and he had reactivated two shields. The scene had finally descended into chaos, with dozens of people dodging falling spells, while those with ranged capabilities occasionally aimed at Fars.
Time had passed long enough; if there was still no sign of the thief, Fars would have to consider retreating temporarily. Besides dealing high-intensity spells against the crowd below, he also needed to keep an eye on the overall situation, watching for anything unusual.
Finally, a relatively slender figure caught Fars's attention. It was impossible to ignore; while everyone else was fleeing, this individual remained nearby, not straying far from the main group. Though it was indeed dangerous here, Fars hadn't used any high-level spells like the Dark Dragon Destruction Slash, so it shouldn't have caused such a large group to retreat in fear of a single high-level mage.