The group skirted the edges of the forest, trying to gauge how far the poisonous fog spread and how dangerous it truly was. It did not take long to realize the truth. The entire forest was toxic territory.
Luke stepped inside several tis to test it. His resistance held, which was good, but he could tell the air was more than just poison. There were hallucinogens mixed in, soporific agents, and other substances that burned the eyes, scorched the lungs, and dried the throat from the inside out. Even so, his HP did not drop.
Only he and Angie entered the poisonous forest.
"Show how your new skill works, Angie," Luke said.
At race level 10, Angie had unlocked a new skill.
[Winged Defense (Ancient)]: The angel learns to use her wings as a natural shield. By crossing them in front of her body, the feathers overlap into hardened layers, forming a sturdy barrier against direct impacts. While active, the defense reduces incoming frontal physical damage. The angel cannot attack during its use, but retains full mobility and situational awareness.
"Of course, my lord," she replied.
Gray wings unfurled from her back, sothing she could not reveal in front of Layla. Angie activated the skill. The wings crossed, feathers tightening and hardening into a solid guard.
She released the skill, and the wings vanished.
"It'll make more useful on land," she said.
"Yes. It has a lot of applications."
As they walked, Luke followed sothing he had noticed earlier using [Assassin's Tracking]. Two footprints stood out. The rest of the trail had faded.
He crouched. "Soone's been here. Not long ago."
***
Luke was crouched in the brush beside Charlie, observing the area. It was a camp, roughly thirty people. It sat near the edge of the Spore Forest. The Red Eight Fingers faction. Their symbol was visible, even flown on banners.
"Master Luke, they're all there. The one who left earlier already ca back," Charlie whispered.
She scouted beside him, while Angie remained hidden atop the trees.
"Thank you, Charlie."
Her hearing was exceptional.
Luke nocked an arrow and activated [Acid Blood Arrow], releasing it in a clean shot that struck one man in the head.
[You have slain a human…]
[ 1 Soul Fragnts]
The man collapsed, still holding a plate of food, and fell straight into the campfire.
"What the hell are you doing?" soone shouted.
"An arrow!"
"Attack!"
A second later, the acid cloud burst from the arrow, spreading across the camp. Screams erupted as death notifications flooded Luke's vision. Figures began fleeing the green mist, coughing, panicking.
"Well. Ti to work," Luke murmured.
Throwing knives floated into the air around him under telekinesis. He caught them midair, activated [Cursed Weapon], infusing them with [Curse], and began throwing.
The knives struck true, heads, necks, bodies dropping as they erged from the fog.
[You have slain a human…]
[ 1 Soul Fragnts]
[You have slain a human…]
[ 1 Soul Fragnts]
[You have slain a human…]
[ 1 Soul Fragnts]
**Your class [Demonic Predator] has reached Level 63!**
[You have slain a human…]
[ 1 Soul Fragnts]
With one hand, Luke fed mana into the holster, creating more blades. With the other, he guided them upward with telekinesis, catching and throwing them in a seamless rhythm. A man staggered forward, coughing violently, his face already corroding in panic. Luke sent a knife straight through his eye.
[You have slain a human…]
[ 1 Soul Fragnts]
When another tried to flee, Angie descended from above and hurled her spear.
**The [Valkyrie] class of Angie has reached Level 20!**
[Angie has unlocked a class skill]
Luke moved through the area as the acidic cloud slowly dissipated. A few people were still groaning on the ground.
"Healing potions," he noted casually, stepping past bodies. So of the dead clutched vials, while others lay on the dirt, desperately drinking from them. "You ca well prepared."
"B-bastard," one of them muttered. "You psycho…"
"I've been called worse," Luke replied.
He raised his hand, forming a [Shadow Ball], then hurled it. The man scread as the dark flas consud him. Luke continued firing shadow balls into every remaining body, thodical, efficient.
As he walked, he glanced at his notifications.
**Your second class [Witch] has reached Level 19!**
**Your second class [Witch] has reached Level 20!**
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[You have unlocked a Class Skill]
"So of you had pretty high profession levels," he remarked to no one in particular. "That was worth a lot of points."
Angie stepped up beside him. "What do you think of this skill option?"
"It's excellent."
[Angie has acquired the Class Skill: Force Infusion]
A familiar ability. Both he and Charlie had it as well.
[Force Infusion (Rare)]: By channeling stamina into a weapon or projectile, the impact becos drastically stronger, triggering a burst of power on contact. The more stamina consud, the more devastating the strike. This can launch enemies, shatter defenses, and even destabilize the surrounding terrain.
They began searching the area. Luke checked the vials one by one, confirming their contents. Even the spilled ones were all healing potions.
"It's not normal for all of them to be carrying this many," he muttered.
He opened a crate. Inside were dozens more.
"Poison antidotes," he said, uncorking one and sniffing it.
Charlie picked one up as well. "Poison, too, Master Luke. Very bitter sll."
She was learning, slowly, how to identify certain potions by scent.
"So they really are working with the Alchemists," Angie said. "Maybe we should have left one alive."
"I don't really care who they work for," Luke replied. "That's Cassandra's problem. I just don't want anyone operating in this forest."
He claid all the potion supplies for himself.
"Master Luke…" Charlie hesitated. "Wouldn't it be better… if I took so of your blood before we continue?"
[Blood Core 73/100]
"Yeah. That's better."
He couldn't keep doing that with Layla around all the ti. She had stayed behind in the cave. She wouldn't survive out here. Charlie stepped closer and sank her teeth gently into his neck.
***
As he moved through the forest, Luke gathered every useful plant he could find, already thinking ahead about brewing his own antidotes.
"If it gets hard for you to move in here, tell , Charlie."
"I'm fine, Master Luke. Between the three of us, you're actually the most fragile in that regard."
The deeper they went, the thicker the fog beca, and its effects intensified. At one point, Luke was certain he heard people screaming sowhere in the mist. Charlie and Angie both confird there was nothing there.
"Bodies," Luke said, crouching.
That section of the forest was littered with corpses. He checked their clothing first. The symbol stitched into the fabric was a skull over a potion flask.
"Order of Ardan."
He followed the trail, finding more and more bodies. They had been there for a while. Packs of supplies lay scattered around, along with potions. Luke sniffed each one, sorting what was still usable. Anything worthless, he stripped for the glass vials.
"From here on, the fog turns a darker green. The poison's more dangerous."
Not even the alchemists had made it past that point.
"I can't go any farther. Not without better protection," Luke admitted.
"I could try carrying you, my lord," Angie said. "I have enough stamina now. But…"
"I know," he replied, standing. "Even if you carried above the forest for a while, you'd eventually tire. And if I fall in there, I'm not confident I'd last long against that poison."
"I could explore the forest for you," Charlie offered. "Find the temple, retrieve the treasure, and co back."
"You could," Luke acknowledged. "Fighting whatever's guarding the temple wouldn't be easy, but it's an option. Still… I want to do this myself."
They decided to return to Layla.
***
"Three days!" Layla snapped. "You vanished for three days!"
She was waiting inside the cave.
"We didn't leave you alone. You had the hatchling," Luke replied.
"I am not a hatchling," Franky protested.
"I thought you were dead. Or that you ditched here with this pet."
"I am not a pet either!"
"The forest is far more lethal than I expected," Luke said calmly.
"So what now?"
"We go back."
***
Now that Luke knew the route to the forest, it took only one day to reach the outskirts of the village again. He had reasons to return, and Layla was one of them.
"I'll spend a few days just making potions and walking the forest edge. Make sure you stay alive while I'm gone."
"I'm not a child," Layla shot back.
Luke's plan was simple. Brew antidotes. Push as far into the forest as possible. If he felt the poison starting to overwhelm him, he would activate teleportation to a pentagram circle placed outside the forest.
As soon as they entered the village, voices followed them.
"Damn… who is she?"
"She's beautiful."
Charlie walked at his side, and her appearance drew attention without effort.
Luke moved through the village toward the areas closest to the temple. Guards watched him as he passed, asuring his group, deciding whether they were a threat. He stopped at the base of the temple stairs.
"You are not authorized to proceed," a soldier said.
Luke pulled sothing out of his pocket dinsion. The mont he did, two soldiers tightened their grip on their sword hilts.
"Relax," he said, holding up a vial. "It's an antidote."
He gave it a small shake near them. The soldiers watched him warily.
Then he produced a box from his storage item. "You're dealing with enemies who use poison. This is the antidote for the type they used during that last attack. Take it to your commander. There's a letter inside. If she accepts the terms, I'll provide five more boxes like this."
"We're not delivering anything," one of them said flatly. "We don't trust you."
"Suit yourself. I'm not the one dying from poison," Luke replied calmly. "I walked past your tents earlier. Damn, so of those guys looked rough. I heard that while one group was marching toward the base near the abyss, they got hit with poison bombs. Must've been awful."
There was a faint edge of mockery in his voice.
"I bet the n who died wished they'd had a few of these little vials. So if you don't want them—"
He tilted the box and began pouring the antidotes onto the ground.
"Wait! We'll take it!"
"Good," Luke said, closing the box. "Pleasure doing business."
With that move, he would get the information Cassandra was definitely hiding about the temples.
***
Luke set up his tent a short distance away from the village.
"Master Luke, soone is approaching. I hear footsteps. Soldiers," Charlie warned.
"They were fast."
Luke was staring at his system interface, hesitating. He had two skills in front of him that genuinely interested him, and choosing wasn't easy.
[Pentagram Shield I (Rare)]: The Witch creates a translucent pentagram-shaped barrier in front of herself, condensing mana into a magical shield capable of repelling low-powered enemy attacks. Physical projectiles and weaker spells are deflected by an invisible force, ricocheting at unpredictable angles. The barrier remains active for a brief duration, protecting the Witch from direct attacks and buying ti to counterattack.
[ssenger Petal (Rare)]: Creates a flower petal capable of storing a recording of the Witch's voice. Ideal for leaving ssages, passing secrets, or communicating like a spoken letter. These petals act as loyal ssengers.
[Enchanted Hearing (Uncommon)]: The Witch enchants her ears, greatly enhancing her sense of hearing. By placing her ear against a surface, she can clearly hear conversations on the other side of walls. Perfect for espionage, since knowing soone's secrets is also a Witch's weapon.
[Fetid Breath (Rare)]: The Witch exhales a cloud infused with necrotic energy and putrid miasma, carrying the stench of death. The toxic fog causes nausea, coughing, and disorientation in nearby enemies, making it ideal for distractions or creating an opening to retreat.
[Telekinetic Impulse (Rare)]: The Witch infuses telekinetic force into a thrown weapon at the mont of release, drastically increasing its speed and range. The weapon retains the full power of the original throw while gaining a ntal surge that amplifies its impact.
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