Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2266: Chapter 2267: Entering the Deep Forest

Led by Parry Mountains, they traversed the mist without hindrance.

All the way to the end of the mist.

”Ahead is the core area of the Lost Forest.”

Following Parry Mountains’ words, Angel looked forward.

The core area of the Lost Forest is a circular ring-shaped forest with a low hill at its center. Unlike the dense fog elsewhere, the mist here is light and evenly distributed through the woods, just as in other parts of the Green Forest Domain.

The twilight sunshine filtered through the thin mist, casting a soft golden edge over the forest.

The gentle wind rustled the leaves, as if playing a hymn to the dusk.

Looking at the scene before him, Angel was quite surprised. He never expected that after traversing the dreary ancient foggy woods, he would end up in such a paradise-like place.

While Angel was awestruck by the scene before him, Parry Mountains was also gazing at the forest bathed in the glow of the sunset, its expression complex with anticipation and joy, but also fear and worry.

All sorts of complex emotions eventually deepened into profoundness.

Then, Parry Mountains cautiously raised a tendril, with a look of hope, trying to touch the long-lost sunlight ahead.

But as the tendril passed through the mist and entered the ring-shaped forest, a terrifying pressure swiftly descended. Even Parry Mountains, who once lived here, was startled into quickly retracting its tendril.

”The aura of the master has gotten stronger.” The oppressive feeling from the tendril seemed to imprint itself on its soul, and even after withdrawing the tendril, its body couldn’t help but tremble slightly.

Three hundred years ago, although Parry Mountains retreated from the core of the Lost Forest, back then, it could still roam freely there if it forced itself.

However, now, the pressure has risen more than a level compared to three hundred years ago. Under such pressure, treading even a single step into the core has become a luxury.

Parry Mountains turned to look at Angel, its tone questioning: ”Are you sure you can take me in?”

Angel had noticed the incident when Parry Mountains extended its tendril earlier. Although he couldn’t empathize, Parry Mountains’ still-trembling body revealed the terror of the pressure within.

When Angel previously convinced Parry Mountains, he spoke with certainty. But now, witnessing such terrifying pressure made him a bit unsure.

He had previously used the triangular spatial energy positioning method to estimate that the core of the Lost Forest had pressure reaching the peak of the Second Level True Knowledge at most, similar or slightly superior to his mentor Sanders’ level of pressure.

But now, it seemed he may have underestimated it.

Parry Mountains’ strength should be at the peak of First Level True Knowledge. Following basic energy rules, even when facing the pressure of a Third Level True Knowledge Wizard, it should not retreat so abruptly.

But reality lay before him.

The pressure at the core of the Lost Forest perhaps far exceeded the initial level of Third Level True Knowledge.

This also seemed to imply, indirectly, that Nami Midori’s strength might be unfathomable.

”Hmm?” Parry Mountains made a puzzled sound seeing Angel remain silent for a long time.

Despite his inner turmoil, Angel feigned calmness in response to Parry Mountains’ doubt: ”Don’t worry.”

Hearing this answer, Parry Mountains breathed a slight sigh of relief. However, Angel then added: ”If I can’t do it, then we’ll just retreat, which suits your intention.”

Parry Mountains turned sharply: You didn’t say that earlier.

While it was still astonished at Angel’s straightforward response, Angel took a step forward: ”I’ll give it a try.”

At this point, Parry Mountains couldn’t possibly stop Angel. It let Angel pass through the mist and step into the core area.

Though Angel appeared relaxed, he had already activated all protective powers to their limits. Earl Mi also quietly emerged from the shadows, initiating a special force field to shield around Angel.

Just as Angel emerged from the mist and stepped into the range of the light.

The terrifying pressure arrived as expected.

Moreover, this pressure was different from what Angel had experienced in the mist. In the mist, although the pressure increased as Angel ventured deeper, it had a gradual buildup, not a sudden leap.

But the pressure at the core of the Lost Forest was entirely different. It directly leaped to a higher level, akin to transitioning from an apprentice to an Official Wizard, a fundamental qualitative change.

Under such pressure, even with Earl Mi’s full protection, Angel felt an unprecedented weight.

This weight made Angel feel as if he were not facing mere pressure, but an entire mountain or sea inverted above his head.

Compared to such pressure, an individual seemed immensely insignificant.

Now Angel was very sure that, without Earl Mi’s force field, facing this pressure directly would probably have resulted in him collapsing injured. Moreover, Earl Mi’s force field could not entirely block the pressure, and Angel himself bore part of it. Though the diminished pressure remained formidable, it at least didn’t betray his resolve.

However, Angel also sensed that even Earl Mi couldn’t sustain this pressure for too long. Earl Mi’s energy, warning him, grew weaker, with the field lasting only three to five more minutes without expansion.

That meant, even if Earl Mi fully expanded the field, it could only shield Angel alone, failing to also protect Parry Mountains.

Since Angel promised to enter the core of the Lost Forest with Parry Mountains, he wouldn’t break his word.

Faced by such pressure, Angel indeed had another way to respond.

— The ”Domain Field” of his right eye!

Angel had once experienced numerous practice battles with Sanders, where Sanders often activated pressure to interfere with Angel, and it was always precise. Later, Angel activated the green pattern in his right eye, and under the influence of the Domain Field, he could completely ignore Sanders’ pressure.

That was when Angel realized that the Domain Field could block pressure.

Later, during the feast at the Star Pond Ruins, before the Dalmatian arrived, Angel also used the Domain Field of his right eye to ease the pressure from the Enthusiastic Gentleman.

Therefore, Angel believed the Domain Field should work.

But Angel could not be certain of the Domain Field’s limit in warding off pressure.

Naturally, it would be best if it could withstand the pressure of the Lost Forest. If it couldn’t shield entirely, it should alleviate some, allowing Earl Mi’s field to manage rest, making things a bit easier... In the worst case, if it entirely failed to resist, Angel could only retreat and deal with it after the Barbarian Cave entered the Tidal World.

As Angel contemplated this, the green pattern concealed deep within the pupil was already activated.

The densely packed green pattern joyfully danced near the right eye.

In merely an instant, Angel’s right eye began to emit a faint green light. With its emergence, the Domain Field accumulated over recent times finally activated.

Upon its activation, Angel immediately felt that the pressure, reduced by Earl Mi’s field, disappeared.

”It works.” Angel’s heart leaped with joy, slightly expanding the range of the invisible Domain Field.

At this moment, the range of the domain field had already surpassed the protective force field activated by Earl Mi.

After completing all this, Angel secretly contacted Earl Mi, wanting to inquire about Earl Mi’s current situation.

The feedback from Earl Mi was also straightforward and clear: the oppressive force it was enduring had disappeared.

This meant that the domain field had fully assumed the pressure, completely blocking its negative effects outside.

Angel finally let out a sigh of relief.

He collected his somewhat fluctuating expression due to emotional swings, turned back, and, pretending nothing happened, said flatly to Parry Mountains, ”Let’s go.”

...

A few minutes later, Parry Mountains walked under the familiar sunshine, still a bit dazed.

How did this human manage it? Parry Mountains could confirm that it was walking in the depths of the Lost Forest, yet it didn’t feel any pressure.

As if the pressure itself didn’t exist.

It couldn’t help but turn back to look at Angel.

Angel looked no different from before, and it didn’t sense any elemental energy fluctuations around him. The only change was that Angel’s right eye seemed to be glimmering with a faint green light.

Parry Mountains wanted to observe the green light closely, but when it stared directly into Angel’s right eye, a sense of unease involuntarily made it shift its gaze away.

Parry Mountains didn’t know why it felt uneasy, but it vaguely understood that Angel’s right eye was likely the means to ward off the pressure.

That kind of power seemed... forbidden.

Parry Mountains dared not think too much, nor did it dare to ask more, so it could only remain silently quiet.

They walked along the edge of this misty forest for several more minutes before Angel broke the silence, ”Is that where Lord Nami Midori is secluded?”

Parry Mountains followed Angel’s direction, looking toward the one and only high land in this forest.

—— A low hill.

Parry Mountains paused in surprise, ”How did you, how did you know?”

Before Angel could speak, Toby, who had transformed back into his seabird form, couldn’t help but roll his eyes at Parry Mountains and uttered a chirping sound.

Parry Mountains: ”What’s it saying?”

Angel couldn’t exactly say that Toby was calling it an idiot. So, pretending not to hear Toby, he answered Parry Mountains’ first question.

Angel: ”Because you’ve been leading us in circles around the forest’s edge. Isn’t it obvious that there’s something in the central area?”

And at the center of the ring-shaped forest was the low hill. So, Angel speculated that Nami Midori was probably secluded near the low hill.

Having his thoughts exposed by Angel made Parry Mountains a bit flustered, worrying that Angel would head toward the low hill after discovering Nami Midori’s place of seclusion.

It quickly said, ”You promised me before, wherever I walk, you will follow.”

Seeing the uneasy look of Parry Mountains, Angel shrugged, ”I never said I was heading toward the low hill. We could just wander around here or stop here.”

Since Angel said so, Parry Mountains didn’t continue boringly circling with Angel and instead stopped nearby a flat large stone.

”Then we’ll wait here. If Lord Nami Midori is still conscious and is willing to see you, it will naturally appear,” Parry Mountains paused, ”If the lord doesn’t reveal itself, we’ll leave, the time limit... the time limit...”

Angel: ”The time limit is until midnight. Under such pressure, I can only maintain for so long.”

Parry Mountains nodded.

Time passed by second by second, and as the twilight darkened, small stars also began to emerge on the remaining white dome of the sky.

During this period, they didn’t talk. Angel meditated quietly, and Parry Mountains kept a close watch on Angel, afraid Angel might do something to wake the seclusion of Nami Midori.

This open surveillance persisted until just before nightfall.

Angel, who had been meditating, finally opened his eyes. He stretched lazily and took out a cup exuding a biting cold aura from his space.

Parry Mountains instantly furrowed its brow, ”What are you doing? Don’t forget what you promised me.”

Angel: ”Just as plants need water, humans cannot do without water.”

As Angel spoke, he waved a finger, and a Water Delivery Spell congealed, delicately flowing water into the transparent cup.

Angel drank it all in one go and then placed the cup by his side.

Parry Mountains glanced at Angel, and after confirming he wasn’t doing anything else, it relaxed.

”If Lord Nami Midori indeed left consciousness outside, it surely would have sensed it when you entered the core area. Since the lord hasn’t appeared until now, either the lord doesn’t wish to see you, or you guessed wrong, and the lord left no consciousness,” Parry Mountains said, ”So, I advise you to leave.”

Since Angel behaved rather diligently along the way, Parry Mountains’ tone noticeably softened.

Angel, however, casually said, ”Didn’t we agree to wait until midnight? It’s not even completely dark yet. Let’s wait a bit longer, who knows, it might arrive soon?”

Parry Mountains was about to say ”impossible,” but before it could speak, a rustling sound came from afar.

”This sound...” Parry Mountains turned around sharply, staring intently into the dense forest.

There was no change deep in the forest, but the rustling continued on.

And as time went on, the rustling grew louder, as though something had already surrounded them.

When a cold wind blew by, Parry Mountains suddenly felt a brightness from afar.

An elegant figure slowly emerged from the depths of the dense forest.

What kind of figure was this?

It emitted a faint green light.

It swayed with a slender body.

Its every stride was accompanied by the sound of sand moving.

And with this figure’s appearance, the surroundings began to bloom with gentle green light...