Chapter 39: The Alchemist Who Fights?

The deeper they ventured into the Grey Forest, the more frequently they encountered magic beasts, and both the level and danger of these creatures steadily increased. At first, Theresa and her companions only came across second-level beasts, rarely more than a dozen at a time. But as they pressed deeper, third-level beasts became increasingly common, and now and then, even the traces of fourth-level beasts appeared. Despite their best efforts to avoid the territories of these creatures, their battles grew more frequent by the day—

A furious roar split the air as an earth-grey bear reared up on its hind legs, swiping a massive, razor-sharp claw at Archil. Compared to the hulking bear, Archil was two or three sizes smaller, but he ducked deftly, slipping past its side. As they crossed paths, his sword flashed out, adding another gash to the bear’s soft underbelly. The wound was shallow, but the pain only enraged the beast further. With a roar, it spun and struck with a speed and ferocity greater than anything before. At the same time, a wave of earthen light flared at its feet, spreading outward from the bear’s body—it was casting a spell!

The earth-grey bear was a fourth-level earth-type beast, capable of using a handful of basic earth spells, such as Stone Spikes, Earth Tremor, and Earthen Prison, and its body was naturally armored against attacks. Among fourth-level beasts, it was known for its formidable defense.

As the earth-hued wave swept outward, Archil suddenly felt the ground seize his feet. In the blink of an eye, it was as if invisible bonds clamped around him, leaving him utterly immobile.

It was the Earthen Prison!

Worse yet, Archil’s hair stood on end as he heard the wind whip behind his head—the bear’s massive claws were nearly upon him, the killing intent so sharp it felt like needles piercing his skull!

At that critical instant, two strange whistling sounds rushed in—one from the bear’s rear flank, the other skimming past Archil’s ear and streaking behind him. In less than a second, furious, frenzied roars erupted from behind—far more crazed than anything before!

Just as Archil’s heart leaped in his chest, a green glow curled around him. Freed from his bonds, he wasted no time: lunging forward, rolling across the ground, he spun to his feet, sword raised defensively, eyes fixed warily on the earth-grey bear...

...

From afar, Theresa sat beneath a great tree, surveying the ongoing battle with a hint of languid indifference. Though Archil often found himself in peril, the distant support from Pedia and Benita meant that even a fight against the earth-grey bear was manageable for him—all he needed was time.

Wearing the creature down little by little might sound ignoble, but it was the safest way, minimizing casualties—though, of course, it did mean the precious bear hide would be of far less use.

As she watched the fierce combat, Theresa was unsure whether she felt more envy or relief. Her constitution meant she could never be a true fighter, which spared her the dangers of battle, but also left her bereft of its thrill and excitement.

Lost in her tangled thoughts, an unusual gust whispered past her ear, and the hair on her neck bristled. Her mind had no time to react—her body did so first. With a gentle push on the branch, she slid down from her perch, dropping three or four meters before snagging another sturdy limb to steady herself. Glancing up, she saw a flying squirrel, no bigger than a common one, baring its fangs where she had stood moments before. Its claws, nearly eight centimeters long, dug deep into the wood, and its blood-red eyes fixed on her, brimming with malice and greed.

This was a carrion flying squirrel, a second-level magic beast, swift and venomous, its claws and teeth laced with poison. It fed mostly on carrion, its toxins akin to dark curses. These creatures loved nothing more than lurking in shadows to ambush prey. If they missed the first strike, they would slink away and wait for another chance; but if their attack landed, they would follow at a distance, waiting for the victim to die of poison before feeding.

Now that the flying squirrel had locked onto her, Theresa cursed inwardly. She stared back, struggling not to show weakness, while one hand slowly inched toward the pouch at her waist—

A piercing squeal split the air. In an instant, the squirrel vanished from her sight. Realizing the danger, Theresa stopped caring about anything else: hands shielding her head, she hurled herself downward. Branches and leaves whipped, scraped, and clawed at her as she fell, then her feet struck hard, a jolt of force surging up her body. Her legs went numb, her head spun, and she tumbled sideways, rolling just in time. Shredding sounds tore from behind—she had narrowly escaped the squirrel’s second attack by pure luck.

She rolled twice more and sprang to her feet, making for the direction where Pedia and the others were. She had barely run two steps when something seized her throat, chills flooded her neck, and a powerful grip hoisted her off the ground. The next moment, her back slammed into something solid and warm, and a familiar voice sounded in her ear—

“Idiot, where do you think you’re running off to!”

It was Mu Fei!

Relief flooded Theresa, and she let him hold her. He tossed something with his free hand, and two faint pops followed. A blue-green mist swiftly spread through the forest—the scent made it clear to Theresa: a powerful sleep-inducing incense.

The mist seemed guided by some invisible force, swirling around Theresa and Mu Fei like a protective barrier. Whether it was the utter silence or her own tension, Theresa felt her heartbeat thunder in her chest, each beat heavy and fast. In moments like these, time seemed to slow, every second drawn out interminably.

Suddenly, a sharp gust sliced through the mist, leaving a visible trail as it shot toward Mu Fei. The squirrel’s claws, gleaming with a blueish light, slashed at Mu Fei’s unnaturally handsome face—

With a crack, a slender vine-whip lashed out of nowhere, striking the flying squirrel with deadly precision and slamming it into the ground. At the same time, countless fine roots erupted, twining around the beast and crushing it into a bloody pulp!

Theresa stared in shock as the pale green roots, having reduced the carrion squirrel to mush, twisted in the air before surging toward Mu Fei’s boots. There, the roots curled around his boots, forming a beautiful green pattern. No matter how she looked at them, they appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary pair of hiking boots!

“Was that a summoning beast just now?” Theresa’s eyes gleamed green as she gazed at Mu Fei, unsure whether her look was curious, envious, jealous, or simply covetous.

“A wood-type summoned beast,” Mu Fei replied, somewhat surprised she could recognize it at a glance. Still, surprise or not, his rebuke was as blunt as ever. “What were you doing just now? It was only a second-level carrion squirrel, and you reacted slower than a pig!”

Lines of exasperation seemed to appear above Theresa’s head. She forced herself to remain calm. After all, he had just saved her life.

After a moment’s effort to compose herself, she retorted, “I’m only a first-level alchemist, not a combatant.”

“Who says alchemists aren’t fighters?” Mu Fei shot her a sidelong glance, his eyes bright with an alluring charm that forced Theresa to remind herself sternly not to be distracted by his looks.

“Isn’t that what everyone thinks?” she replied, staring past Mu Fei in an attempt not to be beguiled.

Mu Fei snorted derisively at her explanation. “Nonsense. Alchemists originated from the battlefields—since when did they stop fighting? Human alchemists have grown pathetically decadent.”

Theresa’s heart stirred at his words, and she ventured, “Then how should an alchemist fight? By using summoned beasts?”

Mu Fei turned and fixed her with a stare so intense that she nearly shivered. Finally, he said, “After all the time Mu Mu spent training you, you’re still this slow-witted!”

With that, Mu Fei strode off, leaving Theresa standing with her head bowed, earnestly pondering his words. Instinctively, she began sifting through her memories of what she had done in the old house, recalling her interactions with Mu Mu and the three pet beasts, turning it all over in her mind...