Hello, is this a letter addressed to Demon Fortress?

The assassin turned around, preparing to walk back the way he came.

When he came, he passed by this place and did not see this grove of dead trees.

Or rather, it exists, but not this high, not this dense.

Now these dead trees have suddenly appeared, as if they've crawled out of the ground.

There was no trace of energy, no fluctuation of magic.

But his intuition told him that it was extremely dangerous.

In the wilderness, any relaxation of vigilance can lead to disastrous consequences.

He was an extraordinary assassin, the most powerful being in some small city-states.

But here... he's just at the very bottom of his demonic food chain.

The two quickened their pace, carefully moving outwards along the edge of the deadwood forest.

however.

They wanted to leave.

Lin Gui, hiding in the shadows, would not miss this golden opportunity.

On the raft, Lin Gui's gray eyes narrowed slightly.

He looked at the tall, withered tree and examined it carefully.

I found a leather bag in the storage space.

Holding the leather bag in my palm, magic surges forth.

The levitation spell activated silently, and the leather bag floated steadily, stopping less than an inch from his palm.

The dark gauze robe covered it at the same time, and the outline of the leather bag completely disappeared into the air.

With a flick of his wrist, the magic surged forward.

The leather bag, like a projectile, shot silently toward the ranger's face.

It is fast, stealthy, and makes no sound of air being cut.

The ranger's reaction was astonishingly fast.

But he didn't really notice until the leather bag was almost touching his nose.

His exceptionally keen senses allowed him to instantly detect the anomaly that was right in front of him.

The airflow is off; something is closing in.

He thought it was a blade, a hidden weapon, or a deadly sneak attack.

"There are enemies!"

He roared, leaned back sharply, and simultaneously drew the dagger from his waist with his right hand, slashing forward with a backhand motion.

"laugh!"

The tip of the dagger precisely sliced ​​open the leather bag.

The leather bag burst open, and the mysterious liquid that burst out inside instantly splattered all over him.

The wanderer froze, smelled blood at the tip of his nose, and his clothes were now covered in red!

The wanderer's face turned pale instantly.

"Damn it! It's blood!!"

He cursed and started running without looking back.

He already knew what it was and realized he had fallen into a trap.

The thing I just slashed was a bait bag used by adventurers to cross the wasteland and lure away the demons blocking their way!

The wanderer quickly fled outwards.

Behind them, the once desolate forest of dead trees came alive.

A hoarse, low roar came from the tree trunks, like a wail from the depths of the earth.

Not a sound.

There were hundreds of sounds.

The sounds rose and fell, weaving together into a chilling wave of noise.

At the same time, more than forty powerful energy pressures suddenly descended.

Heroic rank.

At least forty Heroic-rank demons.

Their auras converged, pressing down like a tangible force, making the air thick and sticky.

In an instant, the faces of those withered trees became grotesque, the human faces on the tree trunks twisted and opened their dark, gaping mouths.

Countless roots burst forth from the ground, like hundreds of venomous snakes, rushing wildly toward the direction from which the smell of blood was coming.

The wanderer ran at full speed.

His figure darted left and right among the dead trees.

The dense roots that pierced from the ground and tree trunks grazed his back, sides, and thighs several times, tearing his skin, but he narrowly avoided them each time.

His extraordinary agility reached its peak at this moment; he moved like a startled cheetah, weaving through the cracks of death.

Gradually, fewer roots emerged from the ground.

The wooden spikes behind them also slowed down.

The ranger's eyes lit up.

He knew he was almost out of the demons' attack range.

The edge of the deadwood forest is just ahead.

Less than twenty meters.

ten meters.

five meters.

The roots behind it finally stopped.

The range of those wooden spikes had reached its limit, as if blocked by an invisible line, waving futilely a few meters behind him, unable to advance even an inch further.

The wanderer slowed his pace.

A hint of joy at surviving a disaster appeared on his face.

Once we get out of this forest, we'll be safe.

three meters.

one meter.

A golden figure appeared out of the void without warning.

It was as if a hole had been torn in the air, and the person appeared out of thin air, without a sound, without a breath, and without any warning.

The wandering swordsman didn't even have time to see the other person's face clearly.

A foot had already kicked him in the chest.

Extremely fast and extremely powerful.

"Bang!"

A dull thud.

That kick didn't pierce his flesh, shatter his bones, or even cause any substantial internal injury.

But the force was pure and brute, pushing him backward.

His body flew backward uncontrollably, his feet leaving the ground, as if he had been hit head-on by a charging bull.

He traced an arc in the air and flew towards the center of the deadwood forest.

All that remained in my field of vision was that dazzling gold.

He didn't even get a clear look at the person's face.

The roots that were still waving futilely at the edge, like sharks smelling blood, instantly came back to life and surged wildly toward him.

The final image was reflected in his pupils:

Dozens of roots pierced through his chest, abdomen, and thighs from all directions, lifting him high into the air.

Fresh blood dripped down the roots.

His mouth was open, as if he wanted to say something, but only a large amount of bloody foam came out of his throat.

Then, more roots wrapped around him, engulfing him completely.

The assassin who attacked Eileen had already made his judgment the moment the ranger shouted "Enemy!"

He didn't turn around, didn't hesitate, and didn't even glance at his companion.

A sudden and dramatic retreat.

With a light touch of his toes, he darted backward like an arrow.

Assassins are the fastest among physical classes.

With the ranger drawing away most of the demons' attacks, he easily escaped from the withered tree demon's web of roots and shot out of that deathly land, skimming the ground.

Behind them, the ranger's screams and the withered tree demon's roars gradually faded into the distance.

But he didn't stop.

After escaping the attack range of the withered tree demon, his speed actually increased.

It wasn't relaxation, it was fear.

An uncontrollable fear that seeps into your very bones.

The blood bag that suddenly appeared, the terrifyingly precise calculation, the enemy hidden in the shadows, whom even he couldn't perceive.

He didn't know who the other party was, but the other party's method of using someone else to kill was clean and efficient, without any hesitation.

This approach is not well-intentioned.

Even though he was far away from that withered forest, the hairs on his back still stood on end, and his heart was pounding wildly in his chest.

His intuition told him that the danger was not over.

The secret technique was concealed and operated at full power.

The powerful energy flowed over his entire body like water.

The breeze carried his breath, body temperature, heartbeat, and even his footsteps.

It completely enveloped, absorbed, and vanished. His silhouette blurred in the air.

Like a moving shadow, or a silent ghost, it swiftly traverses the forest.

The route he chose was extremely treacherous, sometimes hugging the rocks, sometimes darting into the bushes, and sometimes sliding through the shadows of giant trees.

Each change of direction was unpredictable, and each footfall was executed with utmost care to avoid making a sound.

He didn't even dare to run in a straight line, for fear that his route would be predicted.

But the unease did not dissipate; instead, it grew stronger.

It was as if a pair of eyes were coldly staring at him from a great height.

No matter how he tries to dodge, he can't escape.

He sprinted at full speed, not daring to relax for a moment.

The withered forest behind them had long since disappeared into the distance, and the roars, the pressure of energy, and the rumble of roots breaking through the soil had all been left far behind.

Until ten kilometers away.

The assassin's pace slowed down.

He leaned against the trunk of a thick, dead tree, his chest heaving violently, sweat dripping from his forehead.

Most of my energy has been used up; I need to rest.

However......

Just as he was about to dispel his concealment and catch his breath.

Several figures appeared in the woods ahead.

The assassin's pupils suddenly contracted, and the hairs on his body stood on end in an instant.

He instinctively held his breath, shrank back, and disappeared into the shadow cast by the withered tree.

The secret technique of concealment was still in operation, and his figure completely disappeared into the darkness.

He squinted and peered out through the gaps in the branches and leaves.

That magician from the Ross family.

That prey.

And the blond knight who suddenly appeared and interrupted his hunt.

None of the three possessed high auras; the highest among them was only the lower level of the extraordinary realm.

The assassin's gaze finally settled on the black-haired mage who was in the lead.

His undisguised aura was immediately apparent to him.

High-ranking officials...

The person who could deceive his senses, set a trap for them, and kill the Ranger through the hand of a demon could not possibly be a high-ranking official.

That ability to conceal oneself can only be legendary.

He looked around, his gaze sweeping over every tree, every shrub, and every patch of shadow.

No.

There was nothing there.

He examined his body, from head to toe, carefully exploring every inch of skin and every wisp of energy.

There was no trace of magical tracking.

He recalled the sarcasm and ridicule he received from his family through the communication stone.

"You mean it was a mishap? That something was ruined by an outsider?"

"lie!"

"The location of the pale-colored prey shown on the compass has been moving, following the exact same route you took back!"

"The prey is on you."

He initially thought his family was deliberately making things difficult for him.

Now he understands.

It wasn't his family making things difficult for him.

It was this group of people who had been relentlessly pursuing him, using methods he was unaware of, and relentlessly tracking his movements.

It's not magical tracking.

What the hell is that?

His teeth were clenched so tightly that they clicked, and agitation and fear surged in his chest.

He didn't want to get entangled with it anymore.

He planned to escape again.

He channeled his inner energy into his legs, leaned his body slightly forward, and prepared to exert force.

"Whoosh."

A sharp whooshing sound cut past his ear.

It's not the wind, but a sharp blade formed from condensed magic.

The wind blade grazed his ear and landed precisely on the ground half a step in front of him.

"boom!"

Mud flew everywhere, and rocks crumbled.

A half-meter-long cut was left on the ground, deep enough to see the bottom.

The assassin's body froze.

He slowly turned his head, his gaze passing through the gaps in the branches and leaves, and met a pair of gray eyes.

Those eyes were calmly watching him through layers of dead wood.

The black-haired mage stood at the front of the raft, holding a staff in his hand.

The staff is made of plain oak and has no decorations.

But his aura was as calm as a stagnant pool.

"Come out."

Lin Gui spoke calmly.

"If you don't want to die."

The assassin remained silent for a moment.

Then, he broke the concealment.

His figure emerged from the shadow of the withered tree and walked out step by step.

He didn't look at Eileen, Guy, or even Elvia.

His gaze was fixed on Lin Gui, then shifted away from him and swept around.

Treetops, rocks, sky.

Every possible hiding place.

Then he smiled.

That smile was cold, carrying a ferocious look of someone driven to the brink of despair.

"You're just sending a few greenhorns to talk to me?"

His voice echoed through the woods, his gaze continuing to sweep across the area.

"This is far too impolite of the legendary mage who has never shown himself from beginning to end."

The voice was loud and provocative.

He is waiting.

Waiting for that "legend" hidden in the shadows to appear.

The only response he received was the rustling of withered leaves in the wind.

Eileen subconsciously looked around.

Guy also looked nervously at the sky.

Elvia chuckled softly.

She leaned close to Lin Gui's ear and whispered.

"I was wondering why you didn't hide the existence of the Night Veil from Eileen and Guy more."

"So you planned this all along and used it to fool people?"

Elvia remembered that when Lin Gui was at a lower-ranking high-level position, he kept his magic completely hidden.

When rescuing Rona, he also knocked out the catgirl in order to cover up the existence of the magic.

But now, things seem to be getting more and more open.

Lin Gui leaned close to her ear, his lips almost touching her earlobe, and his voice was also very low.

"As I said, I will not reveal the existence of the Night Veil too much before I reach the transcendent level."

"And now, I'm gradually letting go of the concealment of my abilities."

"I think you know what this means, my dear princess."

Elvia's eyelids twitched suddenly.

Her pupils contracted slightly, and she subconsciously lowered her voice.

"Are you fucking trying to become extraordinary?"

Lin Gui neither nodded nor shook his head.

She just smiled slightly.

The smile was faint, but Elvia read affirmation in it.

"So, if you really want to beat me up, this hunt is your only chance."

"Elvia".

"And now, there just happens to be an opportunity to train you."

Lin Gui smiled and turned his head to look at the assassin.

Elvia shuddered.

She followed Lin Gui's gaze and looked at the assassin who was cautiously looking around.

Ascend to the top...

Then, she turned her head sharply, pointed at her own nose, and then at the assassin.

"You fucking expect me, a high-ranking knight, to fight him???"

Her voice rose several octaves, and her golden eyes were filled with disbelief.

Lin Gui said softly.

"It wasn't me."

He paused for a moment.

"He's your cheap teacher."

Elvia was taken aback.

Deep within her mind, Shadow Blade Lin's lazy voice echoed.

"What you lack most right now is a high-quality battle."

"Didn't you want to pin your man down?"

"Fight with all your might!"

Elvia's lips twitched, and she couldn't help but swear.

"What the hell..."