An atmosphere of impending doom perated [The City of Alchemy]. Naomi Watts didn't understand why her fellow clansn insisted on staying in this place.
Before, it was her fault. She had listened to a so-called prophecy and ran into [The City of Alchemy]'s sewers alone for an adventure, nearly causing her clansn to die down there.
Naomi also didn't understand why that prophecy had such a strong attraction, making her rush in regardless of the danger.
Although she was wrong, she had also thrown caution to the wind to save them.
Even if there was punishnt, Naomi accepted it. But why did they all seem to have suddenly changed?
The Druid clan used to make Naomi feel very warm. Although she had no parents, the Druids who adopted her had always cared for her deeply.
But now... Naomi looked around. In this huge inn lobby, only their Druids were present, and the clansn around Naomi seed to be staring at her, intentionally or not.
As soon as Naomi stood up from her chair, everyone's gaze fell on her, and soone loudly asked what she was doing. Naomi could only casually say she was getting a glass of water, but inside she was already sowhat panicked.
This feeling of strict surveillance made her feel like there were thorns in her back; she wanted to flee this place imdiately.
Naomi felt that there must be sothing wrong with her clansn. It was very likely that they were influenced by the [Hag]'s illusions before, and the effects hadn't been completely eliminated yet.
But what could she do?
In this [City of Alchemy], she didn't know a single person. Even if she wanted to ask for help, she didn't know whom to ask.
For so reason, Ambrose's appearance floated into Naomi's mind. That Lich was scary, but he seed reliable. He could have killed all the Druids and taken the idol in her hand, but in the end, he kept his promise and sent all the Druids out of the sewers without taking that precious idol.
Naomi couldn't help but think, if she gave him another commission now, maybe he could figure out the reason for her clansn's strange behavior?
Thinking of this, Naomi was a bit tempted.
She wasn't a law-abiding personality to begin with; otherwise, she wouldn't have run into the sewers alone to adventure.
Now that she had thoughts of running away, she began to scan the surroundings, looking for an opportunity to escape.
"That's a window over there. If I transform into a cat, I can squeeze through the gap. Outside is an alley entrance. After running out, I just need to turn a corner and I can hide!"
The success rate of this plan seed quite high. Naomi took advantage of getting water to slowly approach.
But just as she was about to reach the window, a loud shout suddenly ca from behind: "Naomi, what are you doing?!"
Naomi was startled, and the cup in her hand fell to the ground.
The oak cup hit the floor with a dull thud, sounding like a heavy hamr striking Naomi's head.
Naomi turned around and looked at the stern-faced Van Jones. This highly respected Druid elder was usually quite gentle. Why did he suddenly beco so fierce? That look in his eyes was as if he wanted to kill her.
Naomi stamred fearfully, "Uncle Jones, what's wrong? I didn't do anything!"
Van Jones walked to Naomi's side, grabbed her wrist, and said in a cold tone, "I have already sensed the changes in mana within your body. You want to transform and escape. Did you think I wouldn't know?"
Naomi felt sharp pain in her wrist. They were really monitoring her, not letting even a single detail slip by.
Naomi struggled hard to break free from Van Jones's hand and said excitedly, "I'm the one who wants to ask what you are doing! Why are you monitoring like a prisoner? If you think I was wrong last ti, you can say it directly. I'm willing to accept any punishnt. What are you doing?"
Naomi's words made many Druids look strange. Facing the girl's pure gaze, so even turned their heads away, daring not to look directly at her.
But Van Jones felt no sha at all, nor did he intend to explain. He rely warned Naomi, "Don't think about escaping. Wait here obediently, and then you will naturally know everything."
Although Naomi was very dissatisfied, Van Jones was an elder who had watched her grow up. Seeing him speak so seriously, she had to put away her grievances and sit back in her seat angrily, muttering in a low voice, "I don't want to run away. When we get back, I will complain to the High Elder! Unless you apologize to sincerely, I will never forgive you!"
Hearing the little girl's words, soone finally couldn't hold back. He walked to Van Jones's side and whispered, "Is it really okay for us to do this? We watched Naomi grow up too. She is also a Druid."
Van Jones, however, said firmly, "She is not. From the beginning, she was just a transaction. Don't you all know this very clearly? Could it be that after all these years, you've forgotten?"
The Druid's face darkened, but he still retorted, "But Naomi is innocent. She knows nothing!"
Van Jones angrily punched this companion, knocking him to the ground, and then shouted loudly, "Balance is but an illusion; where mortals tread, nature suffers. Unity is a lie; mortals only seek to ta beasts and burn the wilds. We are the thunder, we are the storm; we shall exterminate the ignorant and reckless mortals to clear a pure world for new life! Do you wish to violate this oath?!"
Hearing this harsh oath, the Druid who had been knocked down finally lowered his head, daring not to speak again.
Only Naomi watched this scene, bewildered.
"Uncle Jones, are you crazy?! What are you doing?"
The little girl walked to the Druid who had been knocked down, helped him up, and asked with concern, "Are you alright? I'll heal you."
However, this Druid was not grateful; instead, he pushed her down hard.
The Druid said viciously to Naomi, "I don't need your concern! Stay away from !"
The little girl looked at her clansman in shock. The Druids around her rely watched coldly; not a single person spoke up to comfort her.
Naomi's eyes instantly turned red. She really didn't understand what had happened. Why was she suddenly hated by everyone?
Tears fell from the corners of her eyes. Naomi said with a sobbing voice, "I... I know I ran around recklessly before and put you in danger. I know I was wrong. I'm sorry. Please forgive . I really didn't an to."
But no matter how she apologized, these people who were once her family remained unmoved, rely staring at her with cold eyes, afraid she might run away.
Naomi sat helplessly on the floor. She didn't know what had happened, nor did she know what to do.
Was this really the influence of the [Hag]'s illusions, or had they never accepted her from the start? Trapped here, what exactly was she waiting for?
Just as Naomi fell into despair, the door of the inn was suddenly opened, and a man and a woman walked in side by side.
Naomi recognized the young man at a glance and said excitedly, "It's you! Mr. Lich!"
Ambrose smiled at the little girl and said, "We et again. Why are you crying? Did you guess that you're going to have to pay again later?"
"Huh? What did you say?" Naomi choked back her tears at Ambrose's words.
Ambrose didn't continue explaining. He turned to look at those strange-looking Druids and said, "I saved you last ti; you should have left. Yet you insisted on staying here to cooperate with those lunatics. You seek your own death; you can't bla others."
Van Jones didn't waste a single word. With a roar, his body expanded, transforming into a grizzly bear.
The other Druids did the sa—so transforming, so casting spells.
In the blink of an eye, several magic vines lashed toward Ambrose, followed closely by two ravens and three wolves lunging at him.
But such fierce attacks couldn't cause any harm to Ambrose because the Undead Queen standing beside him had already made her move.
Dark green energy lit up on her fingertips, rippling like water. Wherever it passed, life withered.
This was the most basic necromancy spell, [Chill Touch], dealing necrotic energy damage to living targets.
In the hands of other necromancers, it was at most a cantrip. But when [Withered Rose] cast this basic necromancy spell, it was like a high-tier spell. Not only did she turn a single-target spell into an area-of-effect attack, but the power was multiplied unknown tis over.
The magic vines crumbled to ash instantly upon touching the necrotic energy. The Druids transford into beasts let out wails under the illumination of the dark green light. Their transformation effects were broken in the blink of an eye, reverting them to human form, and then they rapidly turned into dried corpses.
Van Jones never expected his clansn to be so vulnerable. He hurriedly tried to take out the idol of [Silvanus], wanting to use the power of the god to counter this terrifying necromancy.
But just as this thought arose, he felt his body beco stiff.
The grizzly bear's body crashed down. The mana inside him went completely out of control, forcing him back into human form.
However, this was just the beginning.
Van Jones discovered that his skin was turning gray at a speed visible to the naked eye. There was no pain, only numbness. It was as if the cells of his body were constantly dying, and he was completely powerless to stop it.
A faint sll of rot emanated from his body, drifting into his own nostrils.
Only then did Van Jones realize that he was actually transforming into an undead.
He had never heard of a spell that could turn a living person directly into an undead. Was this Lich truly so terrifying?
Van Jones looked at Ambrose with extre horror, opening his mouth to say sothing, but in the end, not a word ca out. Because most of his body had been undead-ified, his lungs, having lost their vitality, couldn't expel air, and his stiffened neck couldn't vibrate his vocal cords. Ultimately, he could only open his mouth as his entire person turned a grayish-white color.
Naomi watched this scene in shock. Her clansn had all died tragically in an instant. She couldn't even react; fear and confusion left her without the strength to stand.
Ambrose walked to Naomi's side and said to her, "The truth is cruel. You should sleep for a bit first."
Ambrose flicked a beam of magical light that landed on Naomi, causing the poor Druid girl to fall into a deep sleep.
Having done all this, Ambrose said to [Withered Rose], "Alright, now the initiative is in our hands. It's ti to have a talk with those alchemists."
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