Wizard + System

CH229

Reese chuckled softly, "I choose neither, but I can offer you a choice."

"Neither? Then I'll have to use force, Miss Reese," Pierre dismissed her words, eager to claim Reese.

Reese smiled, "No rush. You have two choices: either you all commit suicide, or I'll kill you all."

Her words were met with silence, followed by laughter from the adventurers.

Reese's flushed, alluring appearance made her words seem non-threatening.

The adventurers thought she was joking, not taking her seriously.

"Miss Reese, you're confused. Come with me," Pierre signaled his men.

His subordinate swung a sword at David, intending to eliminate him first.

Reese sighed, "Seems you've made your choice."

She chanted quickly, waving her hand, conjuring a ball of water that enveloped the attacker.

The adventurer's head was soon encased in water, his sword clattering to the ground.

He clawed at the water, trying to pull it off, but it was futile.

The water bubbled around his head, and soon he collapsed, suffocated.

The scene stunned the surrounding adventurers into silence.

"A… spellcaster!" Pierre was shocked, stepping back in disbelief.

He hadn't expected the fiery woman to be a spellcaster.

Spellcasters were rare, and Helag's group showed no signs of being such, so Pierre hadn't considered it.

"Arrows! Take her down!"

Pierre quickly ordered the archers to fire.

He was beyond caring for chivalry, focused solely on survival.

As a grand knight, Pierre understood a spellcaster's power.

He knew if Reese wasn't stopped, they'd all die.

Arrows flew at Reese.

"Water Shield."

Reese waved her hand, a water shield forming around her.

The arrows bounced off harmlessly.

Reese specialized in water magic, adept at using various water spells.

Helag had confirmed this in the wagon, noting her expertise.

"Water Arrows!"

Reese conjured water arrows, shooting them through the archers' throats.

She then summoned water globes, dropping them on the adventurers.

In moments, all but Pierre were dead.

Pierre, surrounded by corpses, felt a chill, now alone.

Reese approached, her smile once charming now demonic to Pierre.

He didn't attempt to flee, knowing a spellcaster's reach made escape impossible.

Survival was paramount, not pride.

Pierre knelt, pleading, "Lady Reese, I didn't know you were a spellcaster. Spare me, I'll do anything, even lick your boots!"

"Lick my boots? You think you're worthy?"

Reese's smile vanished, angered by his words.

"Die!"

She summoned a massive ice spike, impaling Pierre.

Blood spread, filling the air with its scent.

Reese checked for survivors, then conjured a water tornado from the lake, washing away the bodies and blood.

Satisfied, she joyfully returned to the wagon.

Helag sat up, meditating, "All done?"

"Of course," Reese hugged Helag, eager to kiss him again.

Helag pushed her away, "We need to leave, avoid unnecessary trouble."

With so many dead, staying could attract problems.

Their mission was the priority, avoiding distractions.

Reese nodded, calling to David outside, "David, drive us out of here."

She leaned in again, her tongue teasing.

***

David scratched his head, climbed onto the wagon, and took the reins, guiding it onto the road, moving forward.

Behind them, the campfire still burned.

In the lake, bodies floated.

Pierre lay staring at the stars and moon, as if still alive.

The wagon rolled on toward Nightfall City.

After four hours, they stopped in a forest.

Far from the lake, any trouble wouldn't reach them.

By the time others found the bodies, it wouldn't concern them.

Inside, Reese sat beside Helag, flushed, "Let's wait until tomorrow night in Nightfall City…"

Helag resumed meditating, waiting for dawn.

His mental energy was nearly at its peak.

Helag felt close to the liquefaction stage.

His mental energy was on the verge of breaking through, just a step away.

Helag wasn't rushing, preferring steady progress.

Forcing a breakthrough risked failure and dire consequences.

Following a steady practice, he'd naturally reach the liquefaction stage.

Helag chose the more stable path.

CH230
In the morning forest, a wagon moved slowly, the sound of hooves echoing through the valley.

The wagon advanced, surrounded by lush trees, with pine branches occasionally brushing the windows, filling the air with a fresh scent.

The green forest, morning sunlight, and drifting mist created a picturesque scene.

Streams flowed gently through the valley, with the occasional chirping of insects waking the forest and streams.

Helag had finished meditating, sitting in the wagon with a map in hand.

Reese slept soundly, leaning against him.

David drove the wagon toward Nightfall City.

Five hours later, the silhouette of a city appeared on the horizon.

The trio entered Nightfall City as adventurers.

Upon arrival, Helag sought out an inn.

Despite Reese's insistence on only two rooms, Helag booked three.

Helag planned to test the bloodline mark, crucial for their future plans, and couldn't indulge Reese's whims.

Reese eventually relented, thinking, "Booking doesn't mean sleeping there."

"We'll register at the Adventurers' Guild, then find a way into Strange Valley," Helag outlined their plan.

They intended to disguise as adventurers and join a caravan heading to Strange Valley.

Once there, they'd act as caravan guards.

Upon reaching Strange Valley, they'd find an opportunity to place the teleportation coordinates.

This was the safest approach.

After settling at the inn, they headed to the Nightfall City Adventurers' Guild.

Nightfall City was independent, not part of any nation, beyond the Norn Kingdom's borders.

Its long-standing independence hinted at powerful backing.

Some claimed Nightfall City's lord was linked to the Norn Kingdom's royalty, a strategic force placed there.

Others believed the elves supported Nightfall City, monitoring the Norn Kingdom.

Theories varied, with no definitive proof.

One certainty: Nightfall City was formidable.

No adventurer dared cause trouble, knowing it was a death sentence.

The city's strength ensured order.

Many fugitives from other kingdoms settled here.

Becoming a resident was easy; just pay the fee.

As long as they behaved, no one interfered.

Residents followed the rules, avoiding trouble.

At the guild, Helag found it larger than Oberstein's, bustling with more activity.

Oberstein, a border city, had fewer missions and adventurers.

Nightfall City's unique location and status attracted many adventurers.

Many missions unsuitable for other kingdoms were posted here.

Rewards were generally higher, drawing adventurers seeking lucrative jobs.

A larger population meant greater overall strength.

Pierre's Wind Sword Adventurer Group wasn't among the strongest, merely notable.

"Hello, sir, what can I do for you?" a lady at the counter asked.

"Register as adventurers," Helag replied succinctly.

"Alright, just fill out this form."

Registering required no qualifications or identity checks, given the diverse adventurer community.

Helag quickly filled out their information, mostly false.

The lady glanced at the form, surprised.

A grand knight and a knight.

Though only three, their strength was impressive.

"Mr. Helag, we'll need to verify the grand knight and knight levels," she said.

Verification was necessary for such claims, ensuring authenticity.

"No problem," Helag smiled.

Verification was simple, testing strength.

Strength was the basic measure for knights and grand knights.

They entered a small room with a wooden dummy.

Their guide, a young guild staff member named Rick, explained, "This is a special strength dummy. Punch it; if it trembles, you're knight-level. If it sways, you're grand knight-level."

"David, give it a try," Helag instructed.

David nodded, punching the dummy, which trembled slightly.

Rick noted, "That's knight-level strength."

David stepped back, and Helag approached, feigning difficulty, "Need to control my strength, or I'll break it."

Helag controlled his power, estimating grand knight strength, then punched.

The dummy swayed violently, and Helag frowned, "Still too strong."

Despite efforts to control his strength, it was excessive.

Rick was stunned, "Incredible strength, Mr. Helag. You're impressive, even among grand knights."

Helag nodded, satisfied it wasn't broken.

After verification, they browsed the guild hall.

The mission board displayed various tasks.

They found none matching their needs.

Helag discreetly asked Rick, learning missions to the elves were rare.

With no luck, they decided to stay in Nightfall City for a few days.

They'd observe, hoping for a suitable mission.

As night fell.

Reese returned, heading to her room, ordering hot water.

Her room was next to Helag's, and he heard the water running, knowing she was bathing.

He wasn't interested in peeking, focusing on testing the royal elf bloodline in his mark.

CH231

Helag activated his deep blue environment detection, staying alert to his surroundings.

He inadvertently glimpsed Reese bathing next door, quickly averting his gaze to stay focused.

He cast a soundproof and anti-peeping spell to prevent any undetectable presence from observing him.

Once prepared, Helag concentrated on the bloodline mark on his chest, attempting to activate it.

The mark had absorbed two bloodlines: Thunder God's Ancestor and Royal Elf.

Dragon blood wasn't high enough to be absorbed; only superior bloodlines formed marks for absorption.

Helag activated the mark, feeling the Thunder God bloodline severely restricted, unable to exert power.

Conversely, the Royal Elf bloodline was activated.

He felt a strange power spreading from the mark throughout his body.

Monitoring the deep blue data panel, Helag noted little change in most physical stats.

The only change was in his mental strength, which increased by 12 points upon full activation.

Beyond the mental boost, his appearance and aura transformed.

Helag glanced in the mirror, seeing a more handsome face, slightly enhanced.

He realized his natural good looks left little room for improvement.

Born with excellent features, there was minimal enhancement potential.

Additionally, his ears became pointed, like an elf's.

His entire being exuded an inexplicable aura, making him appear a pureblood elf.

Having verified the mark's effects, Helag had a plan.

He reverted to his human form.

Soon, there was a knock at the door.

Helag opened it to find Reese wrapped in a towel, long hair draped over her shoulders, smiling.

"What's up this late?" Helag asked.

Reese said nothing, stepping in and closing the door with her heel.

She dropped the towel, revealing a set of black lingerie.

No words were needed.

***

The next morning, Helag awoke to some noise.

He smiled, "Recovered already? Not sore?"

Reese chuckled, "I'm a water-specialized wizard, with recovery methods."

Helag agreed, knowing water magic included many healing spells, making pain relief easy.

He nodded, "Water specialization indeed, or we wouldn't have switched to your room."

After their activities, Helag's bed was unusable, so they moved to Reese's room.

Checking the time, Helag saw it was late; they needed to visit the Adventurers' Guild for a suitable mission.

After Reese's teasing, Helag did a morning workout.

Daily exercise was beneficial.

***

For days, Helag's group found no missions to Strange Valley at the guild.

Besides familiarizing themselves with Nightfall City and gathering intel, Helag mostly exercised.

Reese, as a full-fledged wizard, had the stamina for extensive activity.

On the fifth day, they returned to the guild hall.

Helag decided if no mission appeared, they'd head to Strange Valley directly.

The guild hall was bustling as usual, and Helag browsed the mission boards.

He soon spotted a newly posted mission.

"Escort caravan to Strange Valley, knight-level strength required, payment negotiable.

Issuer: Ruby Chamber of Commerce."

Seeing this, Helag quickly took Reese to accept the mission.

"Please wait, Sir Helag. The Ruby Chamber of Commerce will arrive shortly. If all goes well, you can take the mission," the lady at the counter said.

After a short wait, a mustached middle-aged man approached.

The guild staff introduced him to Helag's group, "Mr. Ladoye, these adventurers wish to take your mission. Mr. Helag is grand knight-level, Mr. David is knight-level, and Ms. Reese is skilled in medicine."

"Grand knight?" Ladoye eyed Helag, noting his impressive stature and demeanor, satisfied.

He nodded, "Good. Escorting us to Strange Valley will take about a month, for 150 gold. Escorting back adds 100 gold."

Helag agreed, "Alright, when do we leave?"

Ladoye replied, "In five or six days, once we're ready. We're recruiting more strong adventurers. If you know any, recommend them."

"Give me your address; I'll send word when we depart."

Helag wrote their inn's address and handed it to Ladoye.

The guild staff confirmed the agreement, registering it, with the guild charging the Ruby Chamber a fee.

With arrangements made, Helag sent David back to the inn while he and Reese bought supplies.

They had plenty of gold.

The mission's reward was secondary; reaching Strange Valley was key.

Helag and Reese bought long-lasting food, in ample supply.

Not just for sustenance, but as a precaution.

Helag's space ring had plenty of room for food.

Water wasn't a concern; Reese could produce drinkable water if needed.

In the remaining days, Helag stayed at the inn, avoiding trouble and keeping a low profile.

On the fifth day, the Ruby Chamber's representative arrived.

A young woman, asking the innkeeper for Helag.

"Mr. Helag, a lady from the Ruby Chamber is here," the innkeeper said, knocking.

"Thank you," Helag replied, he and Reese dressing and heading downstairs.

David waited on the first floor, and the Ruby Chamber's lady, about twenty, wore a sun hat.

CH232
"Mr. Helag, I'm Tinian, one of the managers of the Ruby Chamber of Commerce here in Nightfall City. The caravan will be ready to depart this afternoon. If you're prepared, you can come with me," Tinian said.

Helag had anticipated leaving within the next couple of days, so they were already packed.

They returned to their rooms to gather their belongings.

Reese reluctantly glanced at the room one last time before following Helag downstairs.

"I didn't expect a grand knight to take on our mission. To be honest, the reward isn't that high, and the journey is long. Usually, someone of your level would choose an easier task," Tinian remarked as they boarded the Ruby Chamber's wagon.

Helag smiled, "We're new adventurers. The reward isn't our main concern; we're more interested in gaining experience."

"I heard you recently registered as adventurers. We're lucky to have found you," Tinian replied.

Helag nodded, "Though it's our first time as adventurers, we'll do our best to ensure the safety of the caravan and its goods."

The wagon headed north, arriving at the northern gate of Nightfall City, where the caravan had gathered.

The caravan was large, with many wagons carrying various goods.

Most of the cargo was meant for the elves of Strange Valley, who were important clients of the Ruby Chamber.

The goods were tailored to elven tastes, aiming to sell as much as possible to them.

Though elves were often proud and disliked humans, they were generous and rarely haggled over prices.

As long as the goods were good, they'd pay without hesitation, even at higher prices.

Business with the elves was highly profitable, and many caravans sought the opportunity to trade with them.

However, the elves had strict standards for merchants, only dealing with those they trusted.

The Ruby Chamber had earned the elves' trust through years of reliable service worldwide.

Ladoye, busy directing the caravan, oversaw the loading of goods, ensuring everything was handled properly.

Spotting Helag and his group, he paused his work and approached, "Mr. Helag, your wagon is over there. There won't be much to do unless the caravan encounters danger."

"Understood," Helag nodded, leading David and Reese to their wagon.

To conceal their identities as wizards, they pretended not to know magic.

They carried large packs, placing them inside the wagon.

The wagon was spacious enough for the three of them.

Reese sat on her knees, laying out a blanket, then glanced at David, "Sigh, no alone time with Helag…"

The caravan had only assigned them one wagon, meaning all three had to share it.

David, sensing the situation, offered, "I'll drive the wagon. I won't sleep inside; I'll sleep outside, so I won't bother you."

Reese giggled, "Good, you're smart."

Helag chuckled at their exchange.

Reese, having recently tasted intimacy, wanted to spend every moment with Helag and wasn't thrilled about David's presence.

Poor David dutifully took the reins, becoming the wagon driver.

Originally, the caravan had assigned them a driver, but with David volunteering, it was no longer necessary.

Three hours later, the caravan was ready and began leaving the city in an orderly fashion.

The group consisted of over seventy people, including the caravan's guards and about a dozen adventurers.

Helag's group was among them, with Helag being the only grand knight.

There were only three knight-level adventurers, none particularly strong.

However, a few knights were enough for a caravan escort.

Caravans of this size were rarely targeted by bandits, who would be risking their lives.

Especially since this was the Ruby Chamber's caravan.

Even if bandits succeeded in robbing it, the matter wouldn't end there; the Ruby Chamber would surely retaliate.

Such incidents had happened before.

In the past, a Ruby Chamber caravan was plundered, prompting the Chamber to hire numerous adventurers and place a relentless bounty on the bandits.

Though it cost a lot of money, the Ruby Chamber had plenty of wealth.

Spending money to make a statement was always worth it.

Once out of the city, the caravan entered the monotonous phase of travel.

Helag activated his deep blue environment detection, constantly monitoring their surroundings.

He needed to ensure the caravan reached Strange Valley safely, avoiding unnecessary trouble.

After several days of travel, the journey remained peaceful.

The Ruby Chamber had taken this route many times and was familiar with it, so unexpected incidents were rare.

At night, Helag, David, and Reese sat by the campfire, eating and chatting.

Nearby, some caravan members were discussing Oberstein.

"Have you heard what's happening in Oberstein?"

"Are you talking about Severus the Mage being captured?"

"A mage captured? How is that possible?"

"Crazy, right? What's even crazier is that tens of thousands of monsters are attacking Oberstein. It's only a matter of time before it falls."

"Tens of thousands? How could there be that many?"

"Who knows? It's like Severus, the guardian of the Norn Kingdom, being captured. Who would believe it? But it happened."

"Good thing we're far from there. Those monsters shouldn't reach us."

"Let's hope not. I'm keeping an eye on the news. If the monsters come this way, I'm ready to run."

"They won't reach us. The Norn Kingdom's border troops are strong, holding their ground against the monsters at Oberstein."

"Human armies alone won't be enough. The elves need to step in. If they do, those monsters won't stand a chance."

.

.

.

.

Helag's group listened quietly to the conversation.

The news they discussed was from a month or two ago, and the situation had likely changed.

Helag knew the rumors of hundreds of thousands of monsters were exaggerated; there were only tens of thousands at most.