What? Me? A once-in-ten-thousand Fire Element Mage prodigy?
Suna was stunned. This was the first time someone had praised her as “once in ten thousand,” and it actually made her quite happy.
But how did this person know she was a Fire Element Mage?
“Who are you? How do you know my elemental power is fire?” Suna kept her distance, hands on her hips, cutting straight to the point.
“Hmph, gold will always shine, and your radiance is so dazzling I spotted it from afar!”
Ariel rubbed her hands together and started showering her with boundless compliments:
“Who would’ve thought such a rare prodigy would appear in the little city of Deya? Could it be that the century-long fortune of this place all condensed into you?”
“Let me take a closer look— oh! Why is your elemental power so attuned to you, just like an Ancient Elf’s!”
“And it’s one thing to have exceptional talent, but how are you still so pretty? Your skin and hair are so well cared for, how can you possibly leave any chance for others?”
“And there’s more, more…”
After this combo of praise, Suna’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she gradually grew shy and awkward:
“Is… is that so?”
She’d heard plenty of compliments on her looks, but never on her extraordinary talent before. No one had praised her like this.
“What’s there to be shy about? Isn’t what I’m saying the truth? So, young lady, do you want to fully unleash that once-in-a-millennium elemental talent of yours?”
Ariel raised an eyebrow at Suna, who immediately grasped the point and fell into deep thought. Fully utilizing her elemental talent— what did that mean?
Wait, she still didn’t even know who this person was! Only now did Suna come to her senses and, remembering the advice from other adventurers, she immediately demanded to know Ariel’s identity.
“Me? My identity isn’t important,” Ariel shrugged.
“Actually, I’m just a guide. Wherever a prodigious Fire Element Mage is born, I will appear there. Young lady, I can tell, there’s something in your heart you can’t get past, or someone you can’t let go of, right?”
This… this could be seen so clearly?! Suna felt as if Ariel had seen right through her— no, she was dodging her question!
Suna asked coldly again:
“Who exactly are you? If you don’t answer, I’m leaving. Also, what’s your connection with this mist? I heard you’re an employee of the mist—is that true?”
Hmph, she was hard to trap. Ariel secretly rolled her eyes and pondered how to answer without scaring her off by revealing the High-Rank Blood Demon…
“Well, um… actually, I am the Opportunity that this mist brings!”
“Opportunity?”
“Yes. A powerful senior has taken notice of you and sent me to lead you to the pinnacle of Fire Element Mages!
Let me introduce myself—I’m Ariel, a temporarily sealed Seven-rank Mage… a Seven-rank Fire Element Mage!”
That answer was fine. She wasn’t lying. As long as she could bring this talented youngster to that “powerful senior,” meaning Lord Tianhuo, then Lord Tianhuo would learn of her situation.
Lord Tianhuo was the peak of fire elemental power. If not for the Five Great Calamities being branded as Heretics, all Fire Element Mages in the world would worship Lord Tianhuo!
Mist… powerful senior… Suna connected the dots—
That must be the demon on Truth’s body!
What did that demon want from her, sending a sealed Seven-rank Mage to wait for her in the mist… Wait, sealed?
Could Ariel be a victim of the demon’s persecution, just like herself?
After Ariel’s self-introduction, Suna cautiously asked:
“Senior Ariel, can you tell me more about this powerful senior you mentioned?”
“Um, I can’t…”
“Why not?” Suna pressed on.
“I really can’t say. If I did, I wouldn’t be able to leave this place!”
Ariel thought if she revealed Lord Tianhuo’s name, Suna would likely shout “Heretic!” and ignore her forever, so there was absolutely no way she could say it.
Her eyes flashed a silent plea — please stop asking, just let me trick you into going to see Lord Tianhuo, okay?
But Suna already had a rough idea. Someone who liked to hide their existence—typical of that demon’s style! What now? Should she keep dealing with Ariel?
Though she was reluctant, Suna knew she currently had no choice but to obey the demon’s orders, so she sighed and asked what this Seven-rank Mage senior intended to do with her.
Great, finally hooked! Ariel was delighted inside:
“Ahem, I know next you’ll doubt whether I really am a Seven-rank Fire Element Mage, and maybe even ask if I can breathe fire or other stupid questions.”
“So here’s a task for you: go to a small hill east of Deya City that overlooks the entire mist and find my damaged Extraordinary-level magic staff!”
“It’s called…”
Myriad-End Judgment Staff of Forbidden Primordial Flame Abyssal Verdict Chaos Oblivion Illusory Radiance Finality!
“As long as you see that staff, you’ll believe everything I’ve said.”
“What a tacky name!”
“What?! You think it’s tacky… never mind. Just bring it back to me and I’ll teach you all kinds of awesome, flashy fire magic. How about that?”
This one sure talked a lot! But she just said her magic staff was Extraordinary-level?
According to Suna’s knowledge, magic items had seven ranks: Forbidden, Legend, Epic, Extraordinary, Rare, Excellent, and Common.
Since birth, the highest rank Suna had seen was Rare. She’d never even encountered an Extraordinary-level magic item. That piqued her interest.
“Fine, but only after I get out of the labyrinth!”
–
That afternoon, at Watchtower Fortress fifty kilometers south of the Deya Highlands, near Deya City.
After running for over a day and night, Reg and Anderson finally arrived, exhausted. Halfway through, Reg had asked Anderson why he hadn’t taken a carriage. Anderson said he forgot.
It was too late to go back, so the two had no choice but to tough it out on foot, arriving at this towering fortress with a large garrison.
Unlike Deya City, which had developed from a small village, Watchtower Fortress had grown from a border outpost, so the overall atmosphere was more serious and the population smaller.
“Let’s head straight to the underground black market here for clues. Even in Watchtower Fortress, I still have some connections,” Anderson said. He needed to investigate who had the dragon egg and then find a way to steal it.
Reg had said the priestess wouldn’t spare them if they failed to retrieve the dragon egg, so they had to risk everything.
Or just run away was also an option…
At the gates of Watchtower Fortress, Reg and Anderson queued for the city inspection.
Suddenly, the massive iron gates five meters tall swung open, and a convoy of over thirty soldiers dashed out, catching everyone’s attention.
“Reg, look—that’s the girl with those long eyes,” Anderson said, pointing to the last carriage where a brown-haired girl with twin ponytails sat. He remembered her name was Rachel, a celebrity of Watchtower Fortress.
Rachel wore silver light armor and carried two mithril daggers at her waist, looking very skilled.
But the most striking feature was her dazzling golden eyes— rumored to be the “Eyes of Atonement” that could see through all sin!
In the carriage, Rachel folded the letter sent by the little cat Velona and gazed sharply at the tiny Deya City in the distance:
“That place was just recently visited by the teacher, and yet another demon has appeared, threatening Velona’s friend?
A demon? Hmph, it won’t return alive!”
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