Running away...? What is she talking about? How does a mentor run away from their apprentice? Is this really her master?
Curious, I ask her, "So, is your master really your master?"
"Of course! I always follow him! I constantly watch over him from the shadows! When he sees me, he pretends to dislike it, but I know he's happy…!"
What on earth is she saying? That doesn't sound like a proper mentor-student relationship. It's…
"That's stalking!"
Rui chimed in.
But seriously, here she is, changing her tone and character because of some guy, and on top of that, engaging in stalker-like behavior. At this age? It's beyond unsettling. I mean, with her diving headfirst into this kind of game, her future seems pretty bleak already…
"I'm... I'm the magician Ruby! I'm here to accompany you to search for my master!" she declared, full of enthusiasm. "Here we go, Galaxy!"
Unlike last time, the awkwardness had completely vanished, and Ruby was fully in her element.
Great, now we've got another oddball in the party. It's a little concerning, but at the same time, I can't help but feel hopeful about having a mage on our side. I still haven't seen a player use magic clearly, and Ruby is a mage—let's see her skills in action.
We ventured deeper into Olive Forest, just a little ways from the fairy village of Lanet. With Ruby now on our team, we charged forward on this final leg of our journey. With Rui on the front lines and Ruby in the rear, we had the perfect setup that made combat even more favorable.
"Skill [Fire Magic] Fire!"
"Whoa!"
Ruby unleashed a fireball that ignited the Mushroom.
"Skill [Ice Magic] Ivy!"
"Wow!"
Her icy blast froze a Worm solid.
"Skill [Wind Magic] Wind!"
"Hmm..."
The wind she conjured sliced through a Dark Fairy.
Magic truly is wonderful. Ivy, Rui, and I watch Ruby's spell with awe on our faces. It seems that magical skills are classified under categories like Fire Magic, from which various options branch out—Fire, Area Attack Fire, and Advanced Fire Magic among others. This means that a single magical skill can unlock multiple techniques. What a variety; it's enviable.
However, Violet wears a look of concern. Ruby's magic appears to be somewhat different from that of a typical mage.
"Something feels off," she remarks. "For a magic-focused class, the power seems a bit low… She should be more than capable at her level. Why is that?"
Indeed, the power doesn't seem much stronger than Rui's regular attacks, which is quite strange. At this level of effectiveness, there's no advantage to using MP at all. Why is that?
"It's… a corporate secret…!" Ruby replies, leaving no room for further questions.
One could reasonably assume that she hasn't made any effort to enhance her magic's potency. But if that were the case, it raises even more questions. It's unimaginable for someone in a magic-specialized job not to excel in their craft.
Ultimately, Ruby's mystery remains unsolved as we arrive in Renet.
It's a small village surrounded by forest. Stumps and large flowers dot the landscape, leaving remnants of the forest's charm within the village itself.
Fairy houses shaped like mushrooms lined the area, large enough for a person to enter. Logically, one would think that since the fairies are smaller than humans, their homes would also be smaller. But this is a game, and that's not something to question. It was simply easier to accept that this was the nature of the beings who lived here.
"Wow, look at all the fairies!" Ivy exclaimed, eyes sparkling.
"F…fairies!" Ruby echoed, equally captivated.
In front of them fluttered adorable little fairies, sporting insect-like wings and adorned with flower and grass hair accessories. They were the size of a human head and danced through the air, carefree in the sky.
It felt like a scene straight out of a movie or anime. It was astonishing to see such creations from a world of imagination right before my eyes. The advances of science could be truly frightening.
Lui and I watched the two women revel in their joy, both amused and slightly exasperated.
"Those two are really excited," I commented.
"Not something we men can relate to," Lui shrugged.
"Careful now, or I might hit you!" Violet shot back, her tone playful but sharp.
I had unwittingly said something rather rude to Violet, perhaps I was picking up some of Ivy's traits.
For now, we decided to put aside Lui's quest assignment and focus on finding Ruby's mentor. She had been calling out for him incessantly—"Mentor…! Mentor…!"—and we had little choice but to help.
At present, we had only one clue to guide us: the information Ruby possessed.
"My… my mentor is probably at the highest point of the village!" she declared, hope lighting up her eyes.
"Baka and smoke, they say..."
Setting aside Violet's whispers, if we're talking about high places, there's only one possible location: the colossal tree standing in the village center. Inside, it transforms into the Sky Cave, allowing us to climb its heights. Nowhere else could possibly compare.
According to Rui, this tree is a sacred spot for the fairies. Inside, there aren't any special events; it simply serves as an observation deck overlooking the entire village. I wonder if we're really meant to be here.
At the very top of the tree's tower, a platform made of leafy branches provides a breathtaking view. Just as Ruby had guessed, that man stood there, striking a commanding pose.
With long silver hair and radiant stars shining in his irises, his attire, laden with flamboyant designs of stars and cosmic motifs, made him look almost otherworldly.
Ah, so it's really him—the mysterious figure who inexplicably waxed poetic about the wonders of the universe to me. Honestly, I didn't want to see him again.
"That person is Ginger, ranked fourth overall, isn't he...?" Ruby remarked.
"Well, I had my suspicions... but facing top-ranked players two days in a row is tough," Rui replied, displaying her usual knowledge.
We made our way across the observation deck toward Ginger. He stood there like a boss character, gazing upward at the sky from the best vantage point. What he was doing was utterly beyond my comprehension.
But then Ruby, completely convinced she was his apprentice, approached him from behind.
"Ma… Master…! I've been searching for you…!"
"Wha—Ruby! You've come all the way here?!"
"Master…!"
"Be quiet! I never took on a disciple!"
Despite her harsh words, it was clear that Ruby was more of a stalker than anything else. As a fellow mage, she held Ginger, who was superior in rank, in high regard. But it was hard to deny that she had made a grave mistake in choosing whom to follow. His character was utterly untrustworthy, and his popularity was practically nonexistent.
"Humph, Ruby. You've really managed to anger me now. Prepare to be annihilated into cosmic dust! Witness the ultimate technique of the galaxy, seared into your eyes!"
"Hey there! You're still ranked fourth overall! This is just childish!"
True, Ruby was still a beginner. It was impressive how passionately she pursued someone she respected, but her skills were still lacking. It would be downright cruel for someone ranked fourth to punish her like this; it would clearly be one-sided annihilation. However, Ginger seemed completely unconcerned.
"Silence! I transcend all notions of common sense! If you interfere, I'll send everyone here into a black hole!"
"Whoa, whoa…"
Yep, this guy is completely insane. He's the worst kind of person, thinking only of himself, yet there's something almost refreshing about his pure self-absorption. It's better not to expect all top-rankers to have the virtuous character of someone like Divine.
"The Ultimate Galaxy Mage, I am Galaxia! Your powers are nothing but cosmic dust before my overwhelming Galactic Force!"
Ginger pulled a staff resembling the orbits of stars from his pocket—clearly an advanced piece of equipment he acquired later. He raised it triumphantly to the sky, channeling magic.
"Skill: [Star Magic]! Hyper Wave Galactic Meteor Shower!"
"What are you naming it? It's just a meteor storm!"
The light emitted from Ginger's staff soared into the sky, eventually transforming into a rain of stars that showered down upon us.
What is this guy unleashing from up there, atop the sacred great tree? The deluge of star attacks had staggering power and an expansive range, sending everything around us flying. The entire tree shook from the force.
Yet, remarkably, all the attacks landed just shy of us. Not a single person was injured. We're being completely underestimated...
"Master...! None of them are hitting us...!" Ruby exclaimed, sporting a smug grin. Is she really that clueless? Does she not realize they're holding back?
Rui and I felt the need to explain it to her.
"They're not missing; they're intentionally avoiding us. With that kind of power, a single hit would be an instant kill."
"And to precisely adjust such a barrage to avoid hitting us... Impressive, isn't it?"
I knew from the start that the outcome was predetermined. The ranked fourth powerhouse—there was no way to win, even if our five combined forces tried. The only action left was to convince him.
As the storm of Stars cleared, an opportunity arose. Ginger couldn't inflict damage on us. Instead, I predicted his next move would be to bind us. He was likely to cast a wide-range binding spell.
The best course of action was to create distance. I sprinted away with all my might.
"Skill: [Gravity Magic]! Universal Gravitational Force Field!"
"That's not just all gravity! Skill: [Back Step]!"
Bingo, just as I expected. The spell Ginger cast generated a powerful gravitational force around him, a binding spell that held enemies to the ground.
Violet dodged backward with her skill, but I knew I couldn't perform such a maneuver. My instincts warned me.
"Whoa…"
"Ugh, a wide-range spell…"
Ivy, Ryu, and Ruby fell to the ground under the spell's gravitational pull. Alone, I shifted to support Violet from the back. To be honest, I had no intention of seriously fighting.
She drew her sword and charged toward Ginger. Her speed revealed that she had been training her agility-enhancing skills extensively.
With a nimble movement, Violet circles behind her opponent, raising her sword. Is this the skill of Acrobatics? She seems surprisingly skilled, which contrasts with her usual demeanor.
"Skill: Aerial!"
"Skill: Defensive Magic, Barrier!"
Violet's upward strike is blocked by Ginger's magical wall. This barrier spell is likely something that clerics typically excel at, indicating that even someone like Ginger can train in magic outside her specialization.
Violet takes a step back, then readies her sword for a straight attack. Her rapid series of strikes reveals just how formidable she is.
"Skill: Stun Blow!"
"Skill: Teleport!"
However, this time, Ginger evades with a teleportation spell, moving several meters away and glaring at This Way. She doesn't seem inclined to attack just yet.
"You can use spells other than offensive magic… as expected of someone ranked fourth overall…"
"It's not going to be easy," I respond, blending into Violet's murmurs. Startled, she turns to me.
"Wha…! Why are you avoiding it too, Lenny?"
"I didn't dodge that. I just moved out of the way beforehand."
While Violet is strong, Ginger's power is on another level entirely. She doesn't seem interested in bringing us to a game over, so it might be wiser to avoid this pointless battle.
I raised both my hands, signaling my surrender. Pride was worthless to me; if I engaged in every fight that was thrown my way, I'd only end up bankrupt. I was a modern person, and I believed in saving money.
Seeing this, Violet raised her hands in response. Having faced me directly, she must have felt the difference in our abilities. It was a wise decision.
Ginger, observing us, reluctantly lowered his staff and pointed an accusatory finger at Violet. "That movement earlier was impressive. You must be a well-known player. State your name!"