The territory of the Principal of Taran is not large among the hundreds of floating islands of the Western Asian Union, but with the location of the Magic Association, this small principality has a very high status not only in the Alliance, but also in the entire Mara continent. Because it is close to the Thousand Islands Bay, Taran's climate is also colder than other allies due to its geographical location. Although the early summer wind brings extreme heat to the extreme south, it still cannot change the temperature difference between the day and night of this island country. The warmth of the day is just right during the night becomes a biting cold at night. In addition, it is a floating continent, which is lower than the temperature on the ground and islands, which may even make people feel that they are "in the Northland Kara".

In the north of the Principality, there is a vast and endless Taia Forest. As the main breeding and capturing place for Alliance Wolf Warriors, there are basically no other human settlers in this dangerous area except for hunters who have been catching wild beasts for generations.

A horse riding on a Gossus sheep was carrying a young man on a small road in the dense forest. He bypassed the hidden traps and mechanisms on the way and headed straight to Buch, a small village located on the canopy.

Wood has a rare black hair in the northern region and a pair of emerald-like eyes. Although his unhappy expression always makes him look too cold and hard, it is undeniable that he has a handsome face. If he is in a bustling big city, such a look is the ideal dream lover for many young women. Unfortunately, he was born in a remote mountain village, and his ancestors have never had such an outstanding appearance for generations. Since childhood, his appearance and temperament that are incompatible with him not only bring unnecessary trouble, but also brings a title that makes him feel very shameful - an illegitimate son.

His mother, Lea, never revealed any news about her father, which made even more disgusted with his unanimous father. He annoyed his neglect and hated him for not raising him. If it weren't for an accident five years ago, would never have left this hunter village in his entire life.

The alchemist who was passing by accidentally broke his leg while collecting rare plants. The young man who saved him home was found to have a talent for magic. After repeated and careful thinking, chose not to say goodbye, leaving only a pocket containing fifty silver coins and a half-segment of rough parchment with short messages written.

The reluctance to his mother was replaced by hatred abandoned by his father. The stubborn boy walked out of the closed forest and embarked on the arduous journey of becoming a mage. In just five years, with his amazing perseverance and talent, he had to spend twice as much as his ordinary person's studies. After officially resigning from his apprenticeship, gave up his repeated retention of his mentor and chose to go to the capital Jingyao to continue his practice.

On the eve of leaving, a letter from Buch Village told that his mother, who was far away in the forest village, was critically ill. delayed his trip and hurried back to his hometown. If his mother died, all her efforts in the past five years would be wasted. Choosing to become a mage is not to stand out, but to abandon her mother and her father just to revenge.

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After five years of separation, the outline of the village gradually appeared in the setting sun. tied his mount at the entrance of the village and ran directly towards a tree house located at the outermost edge of the village.

The flexible and elastic branches were as soft as they were in memory, pulling them upwards. When stood in front of his home that had been away for five years, he didn't know how to tell his seriously ill mother the reason for leaving that year.

"Squeak..."

Some old wooden doors of the ages slowly retreated backwards under light touch, and a rotten stinking smell came to their faces, and the young mage's nervous expression stiffened in an instant.

"Mother!" shouted and rushed into the wooden house.

The low room was messy and dust filled every corner. A rotten corpse was curled up on the wooden bed against the corner of the wall. From time to time, maggots were creeping in and out, creating a scene of vomiting. The staggering steps stopped in front of the bed, and the tender eyes in my memory always stared at the south with expectation and sad eyes. Now, the two deep sunken holes were only fragile rotten meat. The parchment paper that hurriedly wrote the message five years ago was pulled in the thin palm, and it had long changed color and turned yellow.

Kneeling beside his relatives who could no longer tell their appearance, burst into tears. Five years of endurance and childhood expectations were all broken at this moment.

Suddenly, a breath and rotten smell that were so familiar to the alchemist were penetrated into his nose.

It's tinder! For the tree house, the extremely flammable oil is too dangerous, and the villagers cannot and will not bring such things in. While doubts arise, the letter brought by the old village chief suddenly flashed into 's mind.

The handwriting is correct, it is indeed one of the few elderly people in the village who are not prejudiced to him. It is precisely because of this that he rushed back without any hesitation.

According to the degree of decay of the corpse, my mother had been dead for at least several months. Why did the village keep hiding and not talking, but chose to deliver the letter to him on the eve of his preparation to go to Jingyao? The mentor's face, which had always been reluctant to speak, slipping across his heart in recent days, and was scared to sweat. He pulled off the short staff tied around his waist and chanted the spell in a low voice.

Soon, a listening spell was completed.

The perception area gradually grows as the light ball in the palm of the hand gradually increases, spreading from this tree-top wooden house filled with the atmosphere of sadness and corruption.

No...no...no...no...

Houses one by one, silence enveloped Buhe Village, without the noise and noise that humans should have. There was no one in the village where they lived since childhood, and this understanding made the face of tears that had not dried up instantly cold.

After spending five years in the Alchemy Academy, he was no longer a simple teenager in Buch Village. The wizard who studies potions and various props is also good at climbing up while others are walking up. now does not think that no one in the village is hunting because he is worried about his mother's illness. When was worried about his mother's condition, he did not pay much attention when he entered the village. Now, when he thinks about it carefully, there are indeed many things that are wrong. There is no patrol post, and no one even comes to ask, when did the defense of Buch Village become so loose? There is not even the most basic exploration.

Suddenly, a wave of air that was not easily noticed came from above the head. released the strong light stored in the staff without thinking. With a light sound, a black shadow fell from the ceiling.

Looking at the man in black standing a few steps away, he narrowed his eyes - a guy I had never seen before.

The stranger who entered other people's house without permission did not speak, but raised his eyebrows straight with the dagger in his right hand.

"Killer?" The illegitimate son and the spell genius made make many enemies in the town where he was studying. It was not the first time he was blocked by a thug hired by others. It was just today that he upgraded to a killer who took human life: "Which organization is affiliated with?"

"You will naturally know the answer you want if you kill me." The answer was unexpectedly young, and she was a famous woman.

Just when was surprised, a black killer moved. His slender figure was like a sharp arrow that was riding his string, and it hit him with the sound of the wind.

"Ding!" The poisonous dagger with green light was blocked by the solid barrier. held up his staff and whispered: "Wind Blade!"

The invisible spell energy turned into a sharp blade and slashed towards the killer close to him. The woman supported the ground with her hands and quickly turned back two circles, avoiding the invisible blade that was streaking against her body.

was not willing to give the other party a chance to breathe, and activated the magic power. The wind blade was divided into three directions, left, right, and upper. Just when he successfully forced the killer into the dead corner of the tree house, the magic power in his body suddenly ran out without warning. In addition, half of the magic that had accumulated at the top of the staff also dissipated into shadows.

This sudden change not only surprised , but even the killer was stunned. After he took out the spare spell storage ball from his waist pocket, the female killer had disappeared from his sight, and the dark shadow under his feet was integrated behind him. Suspicion and fear exploded in his mind. Before could come up with a solution to the countermeasure, the cold dagger was silently pressed against the side of his neck, and blood gushed out with the torn insensation.

He fell softly on the dusty wooden floor, turning his eyes and looking to his side, revealing a few strands of hair from his hood that was cut by the wind blade, and the silver luster shines in the dark tree house.

"Ha...Luxing Technique..." It can hide the body in the shadows and is one of the most well-known techniques for the dark elves. In this way, the identity of the killer is also obvious. It is a Frost Wolf, a killer organization that has become famous in the Principality of Taran in recent years. Since its members are dark elves, it is easier to identify than killers from other organizations.

couldn't figure out when did he get the magic sealing technique? That magic power suddenly ran out. After entering the tree house? Or when climbing the vine ladder? Or... he had been hit in Mivela Town? If it weren't for the sudden loss of magic, he would never have been defeated by the young woman. With unpredictable resentment in his eyes, stared at the killer who had just completed the assassination mission. As Taran's third-ranked killer organization, the reward for hiring them was so high. Although he offended many people in the town, he was not worth hiring Frost Wolves.

Who is it?

While this doubt arose, brought out an ugly and bitter smile.

Who else will be... Who else will be besides that cold father?!

He once again reached the magic bag tied around his waist, trying to take out the teleportation scroll for life-saving from it. As soon as 's trembling fingers touched the scroll, the female killer's ruthless kick completely cut off hope.

I don't want to die! At least... I can't die before completing revenge.

Although I was thinking so in my heart, death was approaching irresistible. The last perception of the body stayed at the jaw and was forced to open, and then the numbness and pain spreading in the mouth.

"Sorry, this request was made by the employer, not from my personal preference. Trying to keep the target body intact is the last respect Frost wolf gives to the deceased. After all,... a killer is not a profession worthy of pride."

The slightly stiff common phrase reveals that the killer should not have mercy, but unfortunately no longer has the energy to think. Darkness replaced the last view in his eyes, and an illusory faint light floated in the corners of his eyes. A deep shadow could be seen shaking in the shadow of the floor.

Is the sickle of death that harvests life...

As the last bit of consciousness dissipated, the young mage's life also passed away.

Put the cut tongue into a specially prepared iron box, the killer ignites the grease poured on the ground, and the flame spreads around along the arranged trajectory.

Not long after, the small wooden house built on the top of the tree collapsed in the burning state. Faced with the cold night wind as cold as a knife, a fast horse ran out of the silent village and headed straight to the south. Behind him, the blazing fire reflected in the red sky swallowed the entire village.

Just as the killer left Buch Village, a shadow that was darker than the night slowly floated from the cracks in the floor of the burning wooden house.

Its body, like smoke and mist, moved slowly to 's body, and a heavy resentment coiled around the newly dead body and did not dissipate for a long time.

[Just choose this guy…]

The low and mysterious voice was inaudible in the crackling flames. The black shadow covered the corpse, wriggling and twisting, and soon penetrated into the empty shell with a little temperature.

The wooden house that had been burning for a while began to collapse, fell from the top of the tall tree and smashed into pieces on the wet ground.

A figure stood up in the smoke-riding ruins - the already dead . His originally crisp green eyes shone with a dark red light. Soon, this color that was not human was gone and returned to its original color.

was not resurrected, and he was transformed into a soulless puppet corpse by a spell. The one who implemented this spell was a lich from the lower world.

The poison attached to the dagger made the skin on the entire neck corroded to dark black, and it also emitted a foul smell. The lich stretched out his hand and dyed the fishy smell of his hands. Its bloody hand gently drew several arcs in the air, and the terrifying wound on the neck immediately stopped ulcerating. The muscles, blood vessels, and skin were healing at an astonishing speed, and in the end there was no scar left.

The fire continued to burn, and the wooden houses built on the top of the tree collapsed one by one, walking stiffly on the uneven ground, and the lich walked towards the only corner where the hissing sound came. After a while, it saw the sheep tied up on the wooden stake at the entrance of the village. The large and round lens was filled with fear, and I didn't know whether it was aimed at the flames or the "master" who was no longer human.

When he noticed the gray cloth bag on the back of the sheep, the lich grabbed it in the air and the bag was held in his hand. He took out a special Misilan badge, and on the back, it found the names written in magic secret words and common words respectively.

[ Wood...it's a really surprising coincidence.]

The lich has the same name as the dead human mage. For humans in the Southland, this name symbolizes the eldest son and is the first child born in a family or family.

The Lich was ordered to enter the middle-level world where humans live and lurked. After being separated from the Misty Sea from the Underground World, it appeared just at the edge of the Taia Forest. At this time, the human rushed back to Buch Village. Attracted by the strong resentment surrounding the young mage, the Lich followed the mage to Buch Village. Before it could take action, the young man who was attracted by the killer lurking in the village was the first to climb. Fortunately, all the puppet corpse needed was fresh corpses, and it didn't matter who killed them.

Although the young mage had magical talents, he did not have any adventures. He had neither a contract with magical creatures nor any strange things that could gain extra power. The lich received this young and fresh body without any resistance. He wandered around the flames that swept the entire village, but he did not find a living person. To be precise, this was an uninhabited village.

"A fool with magical talent doesn't even know that he has been betrayed..."

The lich, who had completely merged with the body, stretched out his pale fingers, and the swift wind blade instantly took away the life of the Gossus sheep. Blood flowed out along the wound, and under the action of magic, it generated a portal summoning array on its own.

[60 south and 25 east.]

The complex positioning spell was quickly completed by other people's memory. The lich carried a bag and dragged a body of blood that had not yet been completely dry into the teleportation array.

From this moment on, it was Wood.

Comments—

Gausus Sheep: The branch of the Taia Highland Sheep was captured and tamed by humans because of its gentle temperament. It is tough and cold-resistant, able to carry heavy objects. It is very popular among caravans and travelers. Its only disadvantage is that its running speed is not as good as that of several other civilian mounts.

Shadow Scythe: A kind of undead, a virtual body. It often waits beside the dying person, ready to seize the soul of the dead at any time.

Puppet Corpse: One of the methods of possession of the undead. Corpse is not limited to humanoid. Without self-will, it is completely controlled by the manipulator. The memory, power, and magic of life will be well preserved. Most lichs use this method to disguise themselves to achieve their purpose of entering the middle-level world.
Chapter completed!