Before this, Ronan found Linus merely annoying. Linus carried himself with an air of superiority, always acting as if he was better than the treehouse district wizards. Even though they were both Level 5 apprentices, Linus exuded an unexplained superiority complex towards Ronan.
This arrogance peaked after Linus single-handedly killed two Level 3 apprentice wizards during his patrol, earning him a reputation and the admiration of many low-level wizards.
"I used to think he was just annoying, but now I see he's ruthless and selfish—willing to sacrifice even a companion he'd been with for months without a second thought... Tsk tsk."
Linus's actions would have been briefly gossiped about if he had died, but since he survived, he was now shunned by the group. Everyone looked at him with cold eyes, filled with undisguised disdain and disgust.
Having learned about the battle against the black-robed wizard, Ronan naturally turned his attention to the strongest duo present—the half-elf siblings.
Looking at the beautiful and refined half-elf wizard, Ronan softened his tone.
In truth, he admired her. Calm, intelligent, decisive, with excellent leadership qualities. Though her chest was small, she was far from a "pretty face."
Truly admirable.
"Nicole, right? There's still no news from Old Wills, Vinicia, and Jacob. I need to go find them. I trust you and your brother André to lead everyone to the town. I believe you can do a great job!"
Ronan spoke to the half-elf wizard with appreciation and encouragement.
The half-elf wizard readily agreed.
"No problem."
Her voice wasn't the typical soft, feminine tone but rather androgynous and magnetic.
Ronan's fondness for the half-elf wizard increased sharply.
"But..."
The half-elf wizard hesitated after accepting Ronan's task.
Ronan asked, "Is there anything else?"
The half-elf wizard shook her head.
"No, just wanted to clarify. I'm not Nicole; I'm André. This is my sister Nico. She inherited our mother's barbarian bloodline, practicing both wizardry and knighthood."
The half-elf "wizard" gestured to the tall, muscular half-elf man beside her, covered in rugged muscle and sporting a large tuft of black chest hair, introducing him earnestly and warmly.
Ronan's smile froze on his face for a long moment, unmoving.
In the forest, Ronan was sprinting at full speed.
"What kind of fantasy creation produces such an absurd and abstract pair of siblings?!"
"How could a barbarian and an elf even end up together??"
Ronan muttered through gritted teeth as he ran, feeling something inside him shatter.
He recalled the beautiful evening that marked the beginning of it all, by the campfire, with the elf girl smiling gently at him...
"Bah!"
Ronan shook his head vigorously, trying to dispel the chaotic images from his mind.
"Rustle—"
The sound of branches and leaves brushing quickly against each other reached his ears.
Ronan turned to see two hurried wizards running in the opposite direction.
Neither party paused, but as their eyes met, the two wizards seemed to want to say something, yet quickly passed by.
"It seems news of the black-robed wizards has spread. There are likely many lurking in the forest."
Ronan understood the other wizards wanted to warn him. He had already encountered several fleeing wizards on his way.
With smoke signals rising and unseen slaughter taking place in the forest, aside from Ronan, there was likely no one else still moving towards the danger.
Ronan wasn't aiming to be a hero.
He had pledged mutual support when the group formed, and failing to uphold that pledge when still capable would make him no better than Linus.
The recent battle against the mid-level black-robed wizard had boosted Ronan's confidence, giving him a clearer understanding of his current strength.
His nearly expert-level [Energy Missile] was almost equivalent to a typical zero-level advanced spell. With just half a second of casting time, his combat power might surpass that of a Level 7 apprentice.
"Even against a stronger opponent, escaping shouldn't be too hard given my physical abilities."
Of course, nothing is absolute, and there are always hidden risks.
But if he couldn't take even this risk, Ronan questioned the purpose of his relentless training.
Navigating through the silent forest, nearing the source of the smoke signals, Ronan slowed his pace.
Casually casting [Detection], Ronan attentively observed the surroundings, ready to engage in battle at any moment.
Though tense, he wasn't afraid—he felt more composed.
His deer-hide boots, stained with wet mud, crunched softly on the leaf-covered forest floor.
A breeze rustled the grass and trees.
Ronan plucked a light red berry from a nearby bush, slowly chewing it. The sour-sweet taste spread across his palate.
"@#￥%"
Suddenly, a faint murmur reached Ronan's ears.
Like someone whispering secrets right beside him.
This was... the sound of spellcasting!
Someone was hidden, preparing to cast a spell on him!
Ronan stopped, his gaze locking onto a nearby bush. His eyes turned cold, ready to unleash an expert-level [Energy Missile].
But then the sound abruptly stopped.
Ronan paused, surprised.
He thought the person had given up casting, but two seconds later, the chanting resumed.
Frowning, Ronan took a few steps forward, and the chanting grew hurried and frantic.
Then, after a mistake in the incantation, it ceased again.
After a moment, perhaps the caster regained composure, and the chanting started once more.
This happened several times, leaving Ronan speechless.
"Can't even cast properly and trying to ambush? You should try comedy instead."
Ronan changed his mind.
Abandoning the [Energy Missile], he placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. After all, casting an expert-level [Energy Missile] consumed significant mental energy; it was better to conserve it.
Against a "novice" wizard, why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut?
Calmly, Ronan approached the bush.
As he drew closer, the whispering grew more frantic and erratic.
Mistakes piled up, the incantation restarting repeatedly in a short time.
Until Ronan stood directly before the bush, nearly seeing the silhouette hiding behind it.
".A...lbaru~!"
The incantation, trembling with fear and tension, burst out loudly, abandoning any attempt at subtlety.
A cold glint flashed across Ronan's face, and his sword sliced through the air.
"Rip—"
The gleaming blade cut through the air, unleashing a visible crescent-shaped white wave, shredding the dense bush into powder.
Amidst the swirling leaves, the sword struck something with a resounding "boom," then continued its unstoppable sweep forward.