The Legendary Mage (Alavin)

In some of these special locales, precious herbs would sprout of their own accord.

Thus, the Protégés tasked with guarding Botanic Haven had to routinely scour the area, searching for any missed Elixir Herbs.

After half an hour, Alavin stumbled upon two Ordinary Elixir Herbs, which he promptly stuffed into his mouth and swallowed whole.

He was taking a risk, a great risk! On the surface, he appeared nonchalant, but inside, his heart was in his throat, wondering if he might find a precious Elixir Herb grown in secret. "Who goes there?" A patrolling Protégé spotted Alavin.

"I'm just delivering goods. Mariela has seen me; she bid me leave, but I seem to have lost my way," Alavin replied, not dodging or hiding but instead striding briskly forward.

"Mariela?" The Protégé eyed him suspiciously.

"I met her at the edge of the herb garden."

The Protégé approached to personally inspect his stone urn, searched his person, and glanced over the list. "Follow this path down, and don't wander off. If I catch you here again, you won't get off so easily." "My thanks." Alavin quickly departed, vanishing into the mist. However, once he was well away from the Protégé, he slowed his pace and began to wander again, muttering to himself about Elixir Herbs.

An hour passed with little to show for his efforts, save for one Ordinary Elixir Herb and encounters with three patrolling Protégés, one of whom nearly dragged him before an Elder.

Alavin dared not linger any longer, but he was not ready to give up. Gritting his teeth, he ventured once more into the wild. This time, his persistence was rewarded.

Near the base of the mountain, there was a cliff some fifty meters high, draped with dark green ivy. In a secluded nook amid the jumble of bizarre rocks, he glimpsed a blood-red fruit, shrouded by fog and ivy, visible only from a certain angle.

"At last, a bit of fortune," Alavin murmured, seeing no one around. He set down the stone urn and drew out a rope, securing one end before cautiously descending.

The cliff was slippery, the vines thorny. Alavin quickly reached the spot, but suddenly, from among the ivy, a massive python lunged out, its gaping maw aiming for Alavin's head. It was dark green, camouflaged within the vines, striking without warning.

Alavin's heart skipped a beat, but instinctively, he swung a punch, landing a blow on the serpent's head with the force of several hundred pounds. The python hissed wildly as it plummeted down the cliff. But before Alavin could catch his breath, rustling sounds emerged from the vines below, and one by one, more massive pythons awoke, flicking their tongues and setting their sights on him. "Indeed, a treasure," Alavin exclaimed, far from frightened, now exhilarated. It was said that beasts often guarded precious wild Elixir Herbs, and the more numerous and powerful the guardians, the more valuable the Elixir Herb.

The ivy on the cliff wall shook violently, not just with pythons but also venomous snakes.

"I've got it. Could this be Viper's Berry?" Alavin gasped in delight. An Advanced Elixir Fruit? This was an Advanced Elixir Fruit! What a stroke of luck; it was well worth the risk!

But this Viper's Berry was unusually large; he had seen some Protégé flaunt one no bigger than an egg, yet this fruit was as large as his fist.

"Is this a wild one? It looks to be." Alavin surveyed his surroundings. There would be a special marker if it were domesticated, but he found none.

The pythons and venomous snakes became agitated, emerging in droves, lunging toward Alavin.

The commotion had alerted a nearby patrolling Protégé, and the sound of hurried footsteps rushed toward the location. Without a moment to spare, Alavin quickly ascended the cliff, nimbly fixing the rope. "Why are you still here?" A stern voice called out from ahead; it was the same Protégé who had seen Alavin before.

"Please, escort me out. I am truly lost," Alavin pleaded with a pained expression.

"Truly lost or pretending to be? Let's see if you're hiding anything." The man approached to inspect Alavin once more.

"How could I be so bold? Botanic Haven is sacred ground; I know the rules."

"I think I know who you are. You're Alavin, aren't you? I heard you've become a Novice Mage."

"Novice Mage Stage III, indeed."

"How did you manage that?"

"I blundered through it, somehow."

The Protégé clearly didn't believe him but knew better than to pry secrets from Alavin's lips. "Hurry along now. I will remind you once more, to stay away from Botanic Haven. If I see you again, it won't be so easy on you."

"My thanks." Alavin expressed his gratitude, lifting the stone urn to leave. Once clear of Botanic Haven, he discreetly circled around the base of the mountain, locating the Viper's Berry and marking the spot secretly, intending to return another day to claim it.

"Not bad, not bad at all. Quite the find."

Alavin walked away in high spirits, cradling the stone urn and planning to return that night to harvest his prize.

Alavin had not wandered far from the Botanic Haven when his brow twitched. He slowed his pace and turned, casting his gaze toward the nearby thicket. "Since you've come, there's no use in hiding. Show yourself."

"No wonder they call you 'little beast," a sultry voice teased. "Your nose is so keen, catching the scent of me from such a distance?" A figure of grace and allure emerged from the cool, verdant shadows of the forest. Her steps were delicate, until she stood fully in the warm embrace of the sunlight.

She was a captivating woman, exuding an irresistible aura that defied resistance. Though her age suggested she should be the picture of youthful beauty, she was instead the epitome of seduction and grace, as if she were the embodiment of a rose itself a true enchantress.

Her voluptuous figure undulated subtly beneath her fiery red gown, revealing tantalizing curves and glimpses of her pale, tender skin that seemed to shimmer with an enticing luster, inspiring endless daydreams.

Nysah! The sister of Tyral, famed for her beauty within the ranks of the Cobalt Strike, possessed a foxy charm that could make many a man's heart itch with desire. Rumor had it that even the young Commander of the Cobalt Strike harbored a flirtatious intrigue with her.