Chapter 442: Chapter 229: Omen of Death and Memories
Mist Forest, outer perimeter.
It was daytime, and the pale gray mist drifted through the air like a fine thin veil.
Occasionally, a gentle breeze stirred, causing the branches to sway slightly with a “sasha” sound, swirling the mist and revealing the forest’s outline in the stillness.
With the light sound of brittle leaves and decaying soil crunching and rubbing together, a not-so-sturdy fallen branch was broken under a descending leather boot, producing an untimely sharp noise.
An off-white robe draped down to the ankles, its hem specked with grass and earthy dust; a deep chestnut, neatly tied high ponytail swayed gently from side to side with her movement, resembling a nimble and tiny furry tail.
Vier was walking alone deep in the forest.
Her slender, frail physique and defenseless attire didn’t at all seem like those of someone who could move about in the Mist Forest with ease.
Yet her overly calm demeanor, paired with a fair and delicate young girl’s face, made it seem as if she wasn’t in a place swarming with various dangerous magical creatures but in some secluded, safe little garden.
Compared to the fear and horror after just leaving the adventurer association, Vier had now regained her calm composure, as expected of a senior.
At some point, a gray-white magic wand with natural dark streak patterns on its surface appeared in her hand.
Perhaps its seemingly humble exterior didn’t reflect its true value. Still, just the black opal set at the wand’s tip, highly pure, with black shadows and golden spots within, and merely fingernail-sized, could sell for nearly four digits of gold coins in a jewelry shop, evidencing this wand’s expensive crafting cost.
And now, with the silky flow along the wand’s shaft and the magical radiance bursting from the black opal at its tip, it revealed the wand’s identity as high-grade “enchanted equipment.”
If sold on the market, its price might even multiply several times.
The faintly colored radiance transformed into a semi-transparent pale blue protective shield, isolating the mist and danger outside the light barrier.
——Ring Protection System [Alarm Skill – Improved Version VII, Arcane Calendar 932]
While preserving the original alert functions of the [Alarm Skill], it also offers physical protection, aura concealment, and various other effects.
Although the magic model is quite complex, with casting materials and spiritual power consumption differing from the original.
But for Vier, who has mind control ability and spiritual power reserves far exceeding mages of the same level, it poses almost no difficulty.
From the small leather pouch on her waist, she took out a beautifully fashioned brass pocket watch, glancing down at the time.
The young woman slowly stopped walking, her cautious gaze thoroughly sweeping the surroundings, the semi-transparent light shield around her quietly expanding, then abruptly retracting.
Confirming there was no danger around, she dragged her fatigued body to a nearby sturdy oak tree.
Without minding the dirt on the ground, she sat directly against it.
Estimating in her mind:
Her body was nearing an overloaded state due to not getting adequate rest over a long time.
Considering the current environment and possible enemies she might encounter later… a highly efficient twenty-minute rest should sustain her condition until she can set up camp to rest in the latter half of the night.
Lost in thought, her eyes had already closed, her consciousness descending rapidly into a resting state.
For ordinary people, the most basic sleep was a luxury for Vier, only available when her physical consciousness verged on collapsing from overload.
The urgent feeling roared within her mind, like an invisible giant hand, relentlessly pushing her forward.
Not a second could be wasted.
The barely audible sound from the bushes ahead made Vier’s just-closed eyes suddenly snap open.
Though she was very confident in her improved [Alarm Skill], clear that in the outer perimeter of the Mist Forest, there usually weren’t hazardous creatures capable of bypassing the protection to approach her.
Yet at this moment, she instinctively prepared against the unknown assailant.
First, with magic items placed closely beneath her off-white robe, her mind had already engaged them, ready to trigger the defensive magic they held.
Meanwhile, still not fully standing from the ground, as she propped herself up with one hand, bending her knees, stepping on the ground, and her muscles tensed to rise.
The spell models prepped for just such a scenario in her mind’s depths were already being flooded with her spiritual power.
Plastic Energy, Confusion Control, Transformation… spell models from multiple schools rapidly charged under the impetus of her mind.
A magical radiance emerged in the gaps of her hair, her bangs moved without wind.
In less than the time it took for a single breath since the sound emerged, she was ready for combat by instinct.
The moment the enemy showed itself, or should she discern its identity, she could unleash the materialized rage of magic particles upon it.
The bushes in front swayed slightly again.
Soon, a fluffy, furry large tail and two innocent, clear little eyes came into her sight.
“Bright-tailed Raccoon Squirrel?”
Looking at the large-tailed squirrel covered in light red fur, its eyes naive and foolish.
Vier didn’t lower her guard immediately but cast magic to confirm hostile intent and detect concealed changes to ensure this squirrel wasn’t a disguised enemy, finally setting her mind at ease.
She slowly exhaled and sat down again.
Trying once more to close her eyes for a nap, but the focus concentrated a moment ago and the brain made high activity by magic flow made it momentarily impossible for her to fall asleep.