Chapter 134: Second Wave
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"With the help of this potion, we can find out whether she is alive or not. As for her location...Heh...since she appeared in this region, the potion will give us a hint of her whereabouts. I couldn't use it in the Forbidden Zone because of the descent of the Ice Cyclone."
"You mean...the Ice Cyclone wiped out traces of her aura?"
"Yes. The Ice Cyclone is a natural disaster infused with elemental magic. It's why it has the ability to freeze even powerful magicians. With its descent, her aura would be completely wiped out. And even if it isn't, I still wouldn't have been able to trace her because we dispersed in different directions."
"What does that have to do with tracing her?"
"It has to do with everything! In order for the Soul Tracing Potion to work, we need to use the potion in an area she appeared in. The place we first ambushed her looked no different from the other regions, so I wasn't certain of the exact location. However here...this is the place she came to enter the Forbidden Zone!"
"Heh...that means, whether she's alive or not, we'll know it here."
"Exactly!"
"That's great! Now, there's hope in successfully completing the mission."
"Brother Wei, your awesome!"
With excited expressions and gleaming eyes, the rest of the black-clothed men huddled around the man in the lead, staring fixedly at the floating flame.
A while of tense silence later, the flame morphed and turned into an arrow, pointing in a specific direction.
The direction was the same one Princess Qamari disappeared in.
"Brothers, she's still alive!" The lead man exclaimed in surprise.
Even though he took out the Soul Tracing Potion, he didn't believe the girl was still alive. He only did it so that he could report the completion of the mission to their Boss with confidence. After all, the cyclone wasn't an ordinary cyclone. It was one that had the ability to freeze even level 3 Stage 1 magicians.
But who would've expected the act he performed superficially to yield such results?
"Da**! She survived the Ice Cyclone? How perverted! No wonder someone wants her dead..."
"Haha...she should've just died quietly in the Forbidden Zone. At least then, she would've died a painless death. But now..."
"Since she's still alive, we can't return to the guild. Not unless we get rid of her the way our employer requested. Everyone, let's go! She went towards the east."
"Yes!"
With flaming eyes and murderous aura, the group of men in black leaped and flashed into the dark region, chasing after Princess Qamari's trial.
Su Rui was huddled in a corner of the black shield, making her presence as obscure as she could manage with her flimsy bewitching spell, as the black-clothed men discussed killing off a girl.
'So, they are mercenaries.' She thought with a shiver.
Cold, ruthless, and croaked, the mercenaries of the seven realms were the most loathed and feared. As failed magicians, they were despised and disgusted by every magician in the seven realms, and finding their original ordinary lives as regular civilians too lowly, dull, and shameful, they join mercenary guilds that kill for a living.
Mercenary guilds that don't require them to meet certain requirements and expectations, or place importance on their character and disposition. With no restrictions placed on their actions and only killing for a living, the mercenaries wreak havoc in any region they reside in for an extended period of time.
And the Northwest, being the most chaotic region in the Iris realm, nursed the largest number of mercenary guilds with the Hunter Guild being just being at the top of the food chain.
Thinking about the girl that was their mission of target, Su Rui couldn't help but feel sorry for her. To become a target of the mercenary guilds met that she would be faced with endless assassination attempts.
"I should leave from here before those men return. Otherwise, it won't be someone else that I'll be feeling sorry for, but myself." Struggling to her feet, Su Rui glanced at the black shield.
In there, there were many who would never return. Many that would never see the light of the sun or the glow of the moon, forever buried and chained in the Forbidden Zone of the magical beasts.
A tear dropped from her eye, and Su Rui expressionlessly wiped it before turning and running in the direction of the Laining City.
It was time to return to the academy.
On the other side, Princess Qamari listlessly navigated through a region of desolate hills as she recalled her time with Qaliq. Their meeting in that shack house was as coincidental as the meeting of two travelers.
Both lost and confused, strayed from their destined paths due to a baffling mist of uncertainties and an ominous shrouded future.
It was only after meeting him that Princess Qamari felt the insuppressible urge to meet her husband. Whether it was out of fear of falling for him or desire to reunite with the man who was her life partner, she didn't know.
However, she did know that her future was linked with the Crown Prince of the Amayan Empire. She realized this on their first meeting in the glamourous sea of flowers in the Imperial Palace.
And was further convinced on their wedding day. The day when everything changed after their exchange of vows.
Crown Prince Lail was her future, the one with whom her thread of destiny was tied. The one with whom she was to confront the storm of life.
"Let's return to the academy and submit the results for this mission. After the Seven Academies competition concludes, I will return to the Amayan Empire."
With a firm and resolute expression, Princess Qamari increased her speed, her desire to return burning fierce and strong.
What she didn't know was that her way back was going to be riddled with obstacles and trials.
"Have they not taken care of that girl yet!?" A white-clothed woman with a butterfly mask angrily banged on a tea table as she scrolled through a screen of missions.
"This useless bunch of dregs! It's been 90 days since they entered the Forbidden Zone, and yet, they have still not taken care of a little girl. Because of them, our Hunter Guild's reputation will be smeared. Kulan, Kulan!"
Sweeping her hand aside, the screen blinked twice and disappeared. At her shout, a large man with vicious scars crisscrossing his face and bald, bumpy head entered the room.
"Yes, Boss!"
"I want you to lead five hundred of our most elite mercenaries to the East Minions Faction. The Assistant Leader's mission...it is now yours! Successfully accomplish this task and the position of Assistant Leader will go to you."
"Yes, Boss! You can rest assured. I promise you that the East Minions Faction Mission will be complete within 15 days. Now, if you'll excuse me..."
"Go. And Kulan? I don't want promises. The Assistant Leader did the same and I still haven't gotten any results. So convince me with your actions, not words. Understand?"
"Yes, Boss!"
"Go." Giving a slight bow, the scared man backed out of the room.
"Three months, that's 45 days! Assistant Leader isn't one to fail. But for him not to show any results for 3 months...this can only mean the target isn't as easy to handle as we anticipated."
Time in the Forbidden Zone flowed differently compared to the seven realms. As such, while Princess Qamari and Crown Prince Lail had been wandering within its tunnels at most for a month and 15 days, three whole months had passed on the outside.
A dark smirk spread across the woman's red lips. Picking up a communication device, the white-robed woman chanted a magical spell in the ancient language, with her hand hovering over the device.
A moment later, the device vibrated and raised in the air, light flowing from its body.
It violently trembled for a few seconds, before the light subsided and the tremors decreased.
A few heartbeats later, the screen of the device flashed and a female's figure appeared.
"So, is the mission complete?" The female's eager voice sounded before the white-robed woman could speak.
Leaning languidly back in her chair, the butterfly mask woman crossed her arms and glanced coldly at the other female.
"Aarya Quime, I am contacting you to ask for a raise in the payment agreed upon. You clearly said the girl was a level 1 Stage 1 magician. However, from the recent course of events, that doesn't seem to be the case. So you either increase the payment or we drop this mission."
"What!? What nonsense are you spouting? You haven't gone senseless with greed, have you? Seeing the amount I was willing to pay to get the task done, you're not thinking of scamming me, are you? I said she is level 1 because she is level 1! So don't even think about deceiving me!"
Aarya Quime's shrill voice resounded from the device, echoing in the quiet room as she vehemently glared at the white-robed woman.
"Hmph! Aarya Quime, we might be mercenaries, but we aren't bandits. We ask for a price that fits our task, nothing more, nothing less. Since I said the girl isn't level 1, that means she isn't level 1. If you ask me, it isn't me that's deceiving you, but the girl you want to get rid of that deceived you. Heh...She kept you in the dark about her true elemental level."
"Impossible...impossible! If she kept her elemental level hidden, doesn't that mean she is above level 1? She is a level 2 Stage 1 magician!?" More than anger, Aarya Quime felt despair and fear.
The Princess Qamari she and Marui Osklain had been relentlessly chasing wasn't only a genius healer, but from the look of it, a genius magician as well.
She is a level 2 magician already... which means her talent level is above green level!
Aarya Quime inadvertently shivered. The thought of confronting such a monstrous genius sent chills down her spine.
But her dreams...
Thinking of all her plans and great future, Aarya Quime's gaze froze, before it slowly morphed into a cold, hideous, and sinister mask. Lifting her head, she stared straight into the white-robed woman's eyes as her resentful voice reverberated.
"Whatever price you request, I will fulfill. But I want her gone...understand? I want her gone as soon as possible without a trace or sign of her existence to be found!"
"Of course. As long as you pay the price, we promise to give you a satisfactory result. Send the rest of the amount. You will receive the report of her death within 15 days." With a snap of her fingers, the device went dark.
'Fifteen days...Kulan, I hope you won't disappoint me.'
Her gaze turned dark as she opened the Missions screen back up.
On the other hand, Princess Qamari was happily rejoicing as she thought of her spoils in this mission.
"Medicinal plants. Healing herbs. Preventative plants. Restorative fruits. Medicinal seeds. Oh yes, I almost forgot about the most mysterious of the loot! The elemental spring water! It was able to raise so many different plants, herbs, and fruits with different properties, so it's definitely not ordinary spring water..."
If the elemental water was what she believed it to be, then she hit the jackpot!
Her gold eyes shined brighter than the radiant sun as she thought about all the plants and herbs she could experiment and grow.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Just when she was happily envisioning her bright future and flying on cloud nine, a wave of fierce gales surrounded her.
Space throbbed and turbulent elemental energy surged out, locking her in a deadly formation.
Princess Qamari, startled by the sudden disturbance, stopped in her tracks and shielded her eyes, her white robes fanning around her like the shy blossoms of lotus petals.
With a displeased frown and a frosty gaze, she lifted her head and gaped.
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"With the help of this potion, we can find out whether she is alive or not. As for her location...Heh...since she appeared in this region, the potion will give us a hint of her whereabouts. I couldn't use it in the Forbidden Zone because of the descent of the Ice Cyclone."
"You mean...the Ice Cyclone wiped out traces of her aura?"
"Yes. The Ice Cyclone is a natural disaster infused with elemental magic. It's why it has the ability to freeze even powerful magicians. With its descent, her aura would be completely wiped out. And even if it isn't, I still wouldn't have been able to trace her because we dispersed in different directions."
"What does that have to do with tracing her?"
"It has to do with everything! In order for the Soul Tracing Potion to work, we need to use the potion in an area she appeared in. The place we first ambushed her looked no different from the other regions, so I wasn't certain of the exact location. However here...this is the place she came to enter the Forbidden Zone!"
"Heh...that means, whether she's alive or not, we'll know it here."
"Exactly!"
"That's great! Now, there's hope in successfully completing the mission."
"Brother Wei, your awesome!"
With excited expressions and gleaming eyes, the rest of the black-clothed men huddled around the man in the lead, staring fixedly at the floating flame.
A while of tense silence later, the flame morphed and turned into an arrow, pointing in a specific direction.
The direction was the same one Princess Qamari disappeared in.
"Brothers, she's still alive!" The lead man exclaimed in surprise.
Even though he took out the Soul Tracing Potion, he didn't believe the girl was still alive. He only did it so that he could report the completion of the mission to their Boss with confidence. After all, the cyclone wasn't an ordinary cyclone. It was one that had the ability to freeze even level 3 Stage 1 magicians.
But who would've expected the act he performed superficially to yield such results?
"Da**! She survived the Ice Cyclone? How perverted! No wonder someone wants her dead..."
"Haha...she should've just died quietly in the Forbidden Zone. At least then, she would've died a painless death. But now..."
"Since she's still alive, we can't return to the guild. Not unless we get rid of her the way our employer requested. Everyone, let's go! She went towards the east."
"Yes!"
With flaming eyes and murderous aura, the group of men in black leaped and flashed into the dark region, chasing after Princess Qamari's trial.
Su Rui was huddled in a corner of the black shield, making her presence as obscure as she could manage with her flimsy bewitching spell, as the black-clothed men discussed killing off a girl.
'So, they are mercenaries.' She thought with a shiver.
Cold, ruthless, and croaked, the mercenaries of the seven realms were the most loathed and feared. As failed magicians, they were despised and disgusted by every magician in the seven realms, and finding their original ordinary lives as regular civilians too lowly, dull, and shameful, they join mercenary guilds that kill for a living.
Mercenary guilds that don't require them to meet certain requirements and expectations, or place importance on their character and disposition. With no restrictions placed on their actions and only killing for a living, the mercenaries wreak havoc in any region they reside in for an extended period of time.
And the Northwest, being the most chaotic region in the Iris realm, nursed the largest number of mercenary guilds with the Hunter Guild being just being at the top of the food chain.
Thinking about the girl that was their mission of target, Su Rui couldn't help but feel sorry for her. To become a target of the mercenary guilds met that she would be faced with endless assassination attempts.
"I should leave from here before those men return. Otherwise, it won't be someone else that I'll be feeling sorry for, but myself." Struggling to her feet, Su Rui glanced at the black shield.
In there, there were many who would never return. Many that would never see the light of the sun or the glow of the moon, forever buried and chained in the Forbidden Zone of the magical beasts.
A tear dropped from her eye, and Su Rui expressionlessly wiped it before turning and running in the direction of the Laining City.
It was time to return to the academy.
On the other side, Princess Qamari listlessly navigated through a region of desolate hills as she recalled her time with Qaliq. Their meeting in that shack house was as coincidental as the meeting of two travelers.
Both lost and confused, strayed from their destined paths due to a baffling mist of uncertainties and an ominous shrouded future.
It was only after meeting him that Princess Qamari felt the insuppressible urge to meet her husband. Whether it was out of fear of falling for him or desire to reunite with the man who was her life partner, she didn't know.
However, she did know that her future was linked with the Crown Prince of the Amayan Empire. She realized this on their first meeting in the glamourous sea of flowers in the Imperial Palace.
And was further convinced on their wedding day. The day when everything changed after their exchange of vows.
Crown Prince Lail was her future, the one with whom her thread of destiny was tied. The one with whom she was to confront the storm of life.
"Let's return to the academy and submit the results for this mission. After the Seven Academies competition concludes, I will return to the Amayan Empire."
With a firm and resolute expression, Princess Qamari increased her speed, her desire to return burning fierce and strong.
What she didn't know was that her way back was going to be riddled with obstacles and trials.
"Have they not taken care of that girl yet!?" A white-clothed woman with a butterfly mask angrily banged on a tea table as she scrolled through a screen of missions.
"This useless bunch of dregs! It's been 90 days since they entered the Forbidden Zone, and yet, they have still not taken care of a little girl. Because of them, our Hunter Guild's reputation will be smeared. Kulan, Kulan!"
Sweeping her hand aside, the screen blinked twice and disappeared. At her shout, a large man with vicious scars crisscrossing his face and bald, bumpy head entered the room.
"Yes, Boss!"
"I want you to lead five hundred of our most elite mercenaries to the East Minions Faction. The Assistant Leader's mission...it is now yours! Successfully accomplish this task and the position of Assistant Leader will go to you."
"Yes, Boss! You can rest assured. I promise you that the East Minions Faction Mission will be complete within 15 days. Now, if you'll excuse me..."
"Go. And Kulan? I don't want promises. The Assistant Leader did the same and I still haven't gotten any results. So convince me with your actions, not words. Understand?"
"Yes, Boss!"
"Go." Giving a slight bow, the scared man backed out of the room.
"Three months, that's 45 days! Assistant Leader isn't one to fail. But for him not to show any results for 3 months...this can only mean the target isn't as easy to handle as we anticipated."
Time in the Forbidden Zone flowed differently compared to the seven realms. As such, while Princess Qamari and Crown Prince Lail had been wandering within its tunnels at most for a month and 15 days, three whole months had passed on the outside.
A dark smirk spread across the woman's red lips. Picking up a communication device, the white-robed woman chanted a magical spell in the ancient language, with her hand hovering over the device.
A moment later, the device vibrated and raised in the air, light flowing from its body.
It violently trembled for a few seconds, before the light subsided and the tremors decreased.
A few heartbeats later, the screen of the device flashed and a female's figure appeared.
"So, is the mission complete?" The female's eager voice sounded before the white-robed woman could speak.
Leaning languidly back in her chair, the butterfly mask woman crossed her arms and glanced coldly at the other female.
"Aarya Quime, I am contacting you to ask for a raise in the payment agreed upon. You clearly said the girl was a level 1 Stage 1 magician. However, from the recent course of events, that doesn't seem to be the case. So you either increase the payment or we drop this mission."
"What!? What nonsense are you spouting? You haven't gone senseless with greed, have you? Seeing the amount I was willing to pay to get the task done, you're not thinking of scamming me, are you? I said she is level 1 because she is level 1! So don't even think about deceiving me!"
Aarya Quime's shrill voice resounded from the device, echoing in the quiet room as she vehemently glared at the white-robed woman.
"Hmph! Aarya Quime, we might be mercenaries, but we aren't bandits. We ask for a price that fits our task, nothing more, nothing less. Since I said the girl isn't level 1, that means she isn't level 1. If you ask me, it isn't me that's deceiving you, but the girl you want to get rid of that deceived you. Heh...She kept you in the dark about her true elemental level."
"Impossible...impossible! If she kept her elemental level hidden, doesn't that mean she is above level 1? She is a level 2 Stage 1 magician!?" More than anger, Aarya Quime felt despair and fear.
The Princess Qamari she and Marui Osklain had been relentlessly chasing wasn't only a genius healer, but from the look of it, a genius magician as well.
She is a level 2 magician already... which means her talent level is above green level!
Aarya Quime inadvertently shivered. The thought of confronting such a monstrous genius sent chills down her spine.
But her dreams...
Thinking of all her plans and great future, Aarya Quime's gaze froze, before it slowly morphed into a cold, hideous, and sinister mask. Lifting her head, she stared straight into the white-robed woman's eyes as her resentful voice reverberated.
"Whatever price you request, I will fulfill. But I want her gone...understand? I want her gone as soon as possible without a trace or sign of her existence to be found!"
"Of course. As long as you pay the price, we promise to give you a satisfactory result. Send the rest of the amount. You will receive the report of her death within 15 days." With a snap of her fingers, the device went dark.
'Fifteen days...Kulan, I hope you won't disappoint me.'
Her gaze turned dark as she opened the Missions screen back up.
On the other hand, Princess Qamari was happily rejoicing as she thought of her spoils in this mission.
"Medicinal plants. Healing herbs. Preventative plants. Restorative fruits. Medicinal seeds. Oh yes, I almost forgot about the most mysterious of the loot! The elemental spring water! It was able to raise so many different plants, herbs, and fruits with different properties, so it's definitely not ordinary spring water..."
If the elemental water was what she believed it to be, then she hit the jackpot!
Her gold eyes shined brighter than the radiant sun as she thought about all the plants and herbs she could experiment and grow.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Just when she was happily envisioning her bright future and flying on cloud nine, a wave of fierce gales surrounded her.
Space throbbed and turbulent elemental energy surged out, locking her in a deadly formation.
Princess Qamari, startled by the sudden disturbance, stopped in her tracks and shielded her eyes, her white robes fanning around her like the shy blossoms of lotus petals.
With a displeased frown and a frosty gaze, she lifted her head and gaped.
"With the help of this potion, we can find out whether she is alive or not. As for her location...Heh...since she appeared in this region, the potion will give us a hint of her whereabouts. I couldn't use it in the Forbidden Zone because of the descent of the Ice Cyclone.""You mean...the Ice Cyclone wiped out traces of her aura?""Yes. The Ice Cyclone is a natural disaster infused with elemental magic. It's why it has the ability to freeze even powerful magicians. With its descent, her aura would be completely wiped out. And even if it isn't, I still wouldn't have been able to trace her because we dispersed in different directions.""What does that have to do with tracing her?""It has to do with everything! In order for the Soul Tracing Potion to work, we need to use the potion in an area she appeared in. The place we first ambushed her looked no different from the other regions, so I wasn't certain of the exact location. However here...this is the place she came to enter the Forbidden Zone!""Heh...that means, whether she's alive or not, we'll know it here.""Exactly!""That's great! Now, there's hope in successfully completing the mission.""Brother Wei, your awesome!"With excited expressions and gleaming eyes, the rest of the black-clothed men huddled around the man in the lead, staring fixedly at the floating flame. A while of tense silence later, the flame morphed and turned into an arrow, pointing in a specific direction. The direction was the same one Princess Qamari disappeared in."Brothers, she's still alive!" The lead man exclaimed in surprise.Even though he took out the Soul Tracing Potion, he didn't believe the girl was still alive. He only did it so that he could report the completion of the mission to their Boss with confidence. After all, the cyclone wasn't an ordinary cyclone. It was one that had the ability to freeze even level 3 Stage 1 magicians.But who would've expected the act he performed superficially to yield such results?"Da**! She survived the Ice Cyclone? How perverted! No wonder someone wants her dead...""Haha...she should've just died quietly in the Forbidden Zone. At least then, she would've died a painless death. But now...""Since she's still alive, we can't return to the guild. Not unless we get rid of her the way our employer requested. Everyone, let's go! She went towards the east.""Yes!"With flaming eyes and murderous aura, the group of men in black leaped and flashed into the dark region, chasing after Princess Qamari's trial. Su Rui was huddled in a corner of the black shield, making her presence as obscure as she could manage with her flimsy bewitching spell, as the black-clothed men discussed killing off a girl.'So, they are mercenaries.' She thought with a shiver.Cold, ruthless, and croaked, the mercenaries of the seven realms were the most loathed and feared. As failed magicians, they were despised and disgusted by every magician in the seven realms, and finding their original ordinary lives as regular civilians too lowly, dull, and shameful, they join mercenary guilds that kill for a living.Mercenary guilds that don't require them to meet certain requirements and expectations, or place importance on their character and disposition. With no restrictions placed on their actions and only killing for a living, the mercenaries wreak havoc in any region they reside in for an extended period of time.And the Northwest, being the most chaotic region in the Iris realm, nursed the largest number of mercenary guilds with the Hunter Guild being just being at the top of the food chain.Thinking about the girl that was their mission of target, Su Rui couldn't help but feel sorry for her. To become a target of the mercenary guilds met that she would be faced with endless assassination attempts. "I should leave from here before those men return. Otherwise, it won't be someone else that I'll be feeling sorry for, but myself." Struggling to her feet, Su Rui glanced at the black shield.In there, there were many who would never return. Many that would never see the light of the sun or the glow of the moon, forever buried and chained in the Forbidden Zone of the magical beasts.A tear dropped from her eye, and Su Rui expressionlessly wiped it before turning and running in the direction of the Laining City.It was time to return to the academy.On the other side, Princess Qamari listlessly navigated through a region of desolate hills as she recalled her time with Qaliq. Their meeting in that shack house was as coincidental as the meeting of two travelers.Both lost and confused, strayed from their destined paths due to a baffling mist of uncertainties and an ominous shrouded future.It was only after meeting him that Princess Qamari felt the insuppressible urge to meet her husband. Whether it was out of fear of falling for him or desire to reunite with the man who was her life partner, she didn't know.However, she did know that her future was linked with the Crown Prince of the Amayan Empire. She realized this on their first meeting in the glamourous sea of flowers in the Imperial Palace.And was further convinced on their wedding day. The day when everything changed after their exchange of vows.Crown Prince Lail was her future, the one with whom her thread of destiny was tied. The one with whom she was to confront the storm of life."Let's return to the academy and submit the results for this mission. After the Seven Academies competition concludes, I will return to the Amayan Empire." With a firm and resolute expression, Princess Qamari increased her speed, her desire to return burning fierce and strong.What she didn't know was that her way back was going to be riddled with obstacles and trials."Have they not taken care of that girl yet!?" A white-clothed woman with a butterfly mask angrily banged on a tea table as she scrolled through a screen of missions."This useless bunch of dregs! It's been 90 days since they entered the Forbidden Zone, and yet, they have still not taken care of a little girl. Because of them, our Hunter Guild's reputation will be smeared. Kulan, Kulan!"Sweeping her hand aside, the screen blinked twice and disappeared. At her shout, a large man with vicious scars crisscrossing his face and bald, bumpy head entered the room."Yes, Boss!" "I want you to lead five hundred of our most elite mercenaries to the East Minions Faction. The Assistant Leader's mission...it is now yours! Successfully accomplish this task and the position of Assistant Leader will go to you.""Yes, Boss! You can rest assured. I promise you that the East Minions Faction Mission will be complete within 15 days. Now, if you'll excuse me...""Go. And Kulan? I don't want promises. The Assistant Leader did the same and I still haven't gotten any results. So convince me with your actions, not words. Understand?""Yes, Boss!""Go." Giving a slight bow, the scared man backed out of the room."Three months, that's 45 days! Assistant Leader isn't one to fail. But for him not to show any results for 3 months...this can only mean the target isn't as easy to handle as we anticipated."Time in the Forbidden Zone flowed differently compared to the seven realms. As such, while Princess Qamari and Crown Prince Lail had been wandering within its tunnels at most for a month and 15 days, three whole months had passed on the outside.A dark smirk spread across the woman's red lips. Picking up a communication device, the white-robed woman chanted a magical spell in the ancient language, with her hand hovering over the device.A moment later, the device vibrated and raised in the air, light flowing from its body.It violently trembled for a few seconds, before the light subsided and the tremors decreased.A few heartbeats later, the screen of the device flashed and a female's figure appeared."So, is the mission complete?" The female's eager voice sounded before the white-robed woman could speak.Leaning languidly back in her chair, the butterfly mask woman crossed her arms and glanced coldly at the other female."Aarya Quime, I am contacting you to ask for a raise in the payment agreed upon. You clearly said the girl was a level 1 Stage 1 magician. However, from the recent course of events, that doesn't seem to be the case. So you either increase the payment or we drop this mission.""What!? What nonsense are you spouting? You haven't gone senseless with greed, have you? Seeing the amount I was willing to pay to get the task done, you're not thinking of scamming me, are you? I said she is level 1 because she is level 1! So don't even think about deceiving me!"Aarya Quime's shrill voice resounded from the device, echoing in the quiet room as she vehemently glared at the white-robed woman."Hmph! Aarya Quime, we might be mercenaries, but we aren't bandits. We ask for a price that fits our task, nothing more, nothing less. Since I said the girl isn't level 1, that means she isn't level 1. If you ask me, it isn't me that's deceiving you, but the girl you want to get rid of that deceived you. Heh...She kept you in the dark about her true elemental level.""Impossible...impossible! If she kept her elemental level hidden, doesn't that mean she is above level 1? She is a level 2 Stage 1 magician!?" More than anger, Aarya Quime felt despair and fear.The Princess Qamari she and Marui Osklain had been relentlessly chasing wasn't only a genius healer, but from the look of it, a genius magician as well. She is a level 2 magician already... which means her talent level is above green level!Aarya Quime inadvertently shivered. The thought of confronting such a monstrous genius sent chills down her spine.But her dreams...Thinking of all her plans and great future, Aarya Quime's gaze froze, before it slowly morphed into a cold, hideous, and sinister mask. Lifting her head, she stared straight into the white-robed woman's eyes as her resentful voice reverberated."Whatever price you request, I will fulfill. But I want her gone...understand? I want her gone as soon as possible without a trace or sign of her existence to be found!" "Of course. As long as you pay the price, we promise to give you a satisfactory result. Send the rest of the amount. You will receive the report of her death within 15 days." With a snap of her fingers, the device went dark.'Fifteen days...Kulan, I hope you won't disappoint me.'Her gaze turned dark as she opened the Missions screen back up.On the other hand, Princess Qamari was happily rejoicing as she thought of her spoils in this mission. "Medicinal plants. Healing herbs. Preventative plants. Restorative fruits. Medicinal seeds. Oh yes, I almost forgot about the most mysterious of the loot! The elemental spring water! It was able to raise so many different plants, herbs, and fruits with different properties, so it's definitely not ordinary spring water..."If the elemental water was what she believed it to be, then she hit the jackpot!Her gold eyes shined brighter than the radiant sun as she thought about all the plants and herbs she could experiment and grow.Whoosh!Whoosh!Whoosh!Just when she was happily envisioning her bright future and flying on cloud nine, a wave of fierce gales surrounded her. Space throbbed and turbulent elemental energy surged out, locking her in a deadly formation.Princess Qamari, startled by the sudden disturbance, stopped in her tracks and shielded her eyes, her white robes fanning around her like the shy blossoms of lotus petals.With a displeased frown and a frosty gaze, she lifted her head and gaped.
