The Legendary Mage (Alavin)

...

Nysah and her followers had pursued him for a long and exhausting while, only to finally admit they had lost him again!

"Damn it! Damn it all!" Ogmundr swore furiously, unable to accept their failure.

"What kind of strength does Alavin possess?" The muscular man demanded of Nysah.

"He's just a Novice Mage, but he possesses a startling brute strength, which he seems to wield to its fullest potential. His strength cannot be judged by his title alone," Nysah admitted reluctantly, forced to accept the reality that Alavin had truly surprised her that night.

"Brute strength? He's not just strong, his Sword Skill is even more refined than mine," Ogmundr reflected on the previous night's duel, which had made him feel genuinely threatened. He was beginning to doub what had really happened during their brief clash. He vaguely remembered deflecting Alavin's blade with his Gold-Veined Bronzesword, then launching a surprise attack. By all logic, he should have been able to strike Alavin down. Yet, Alavin's blade seemed unaffected, thrusting straight at him.

The Gold-Veined Bronzesword was a treasured blade, able to easily cleave iron and stone. If it had truly met Alavin's sword, it should have cut his sword in two. Could he have remembered wrong? Did he miss Alavin's sword?

Nysah shook her head decisively. "Impossible. I know Alavin's strength well. He cannot possess Combat Magic."

"Let's not argue about this now. We need to find Alavin before he escapes again. He's been struck by my sword; his blood vessels were punctured. His injury will worsen over time; he can't have gone far." Deep within the dense forest, Alavin sat in a concealed cave, absorbing the Restoration Aether of the ancient woods. The Restoration Aether here was much more potent than within Cobalt Strike. After a night's rest, his wound had nearly closed. Not even a scar remained by noon, and by afternoon, he had fully recovered!

The marvel of the Restoration Mantra was just that - more effective than any elixir or wonder drug. It had saved Alavin more times than he could count over the years.

"Ogmundr! Novice Mage Stage VII!"

Alavin silently recalled the previous night's perilous battle. His current strength was far from sufficient to challenge Stage VII; he would struggle even with Stage V. Just as there was a hurdle moving from Stage III to Stage IV, so too was there one from Stage VI to Stage VII, with a qualitative leap in power after each.

With things having escalated to this point, Alavin could not back down. It was kill or be killed, no room for negotiation. While he had his reservations back in Cobalt Strike, now, in the deep forest, in a life-or- death chase, if they couldn't kill him, he would kill them.

It was a matter of who could be more ruthless!

Before nightfall, Alavin set out again, Dawnedge Blade on his back, entering the deep, primeval forest, seeking Nysah. His strength was far inferior to his enemies; he had to rely on the cover of night to launch a surprise attack.

Moving cautiously, Alavin avoided recklessness, steering clear of any Magi-Monsters he encountered. Luckily, he did not stumble upon any particularly strong Magi-Monsters, for he might not have had a chance to escape with his current strength.

Fortune smiled upon him, for not long into his journey, he discovered an Elixir Herb - three of them, in fact, clustered together, hidden in a thick bush.

The three Ordinary Elixir Herbs could help Alavin replenish his magic.

"There's the sound of a fight!"

Alavin suddenly halted, listening intently. It didn't sound like mages dueling, but more like a group of mages battling a Magi-Monster. The noise was coming from up ahead in the forest. Following the sound, he moved silently and swiftly towards it.

Ahead lay a clearing in the dense forest, where the silhouettes of men and women brandishing weapons could be seen fighting a massive beast. The creature resembled a fierce tiger but was even larger than a black bear. Its fur was glossy black, its blood-red eyes were filled with savagery, its mouth bristled with jagged teeth, and two sharp fangs, each half a meter long, curved menacingly from its jaws.

A Bladebite Beast!

Such Magi-Monsters were kept within Cobalt Strike, known for their ferocity and brutal nature, comparable in realm to a high-level Novice Mage. Its claws and fangs were its weapons, and its body was enveloped in a swirling black wind, kicking up dust and stones.

Alavin observed carefully. The five men and women, dressed simply like mercenaries venturing through the forest, fought with a wild vigor and a well-coordinated effort, displaying experience and tactical retreats. Three bloodied bodies lay in the ruins, evidently having met their demise at the claws of the Bladebite Beast.

The battle was not just intense; it was downright dangerous. The Bladebite Beast, driven to madness by the conflict, whipped up fierce winds throughout the ruins, charging and roaring furiously.

The mercenaries seemed on the verge of collapse. Four constantly ran and took to the air, distracting the Bladebite Beast with their efforts. A muscular young man clad in black led the main assault, his two- meter-long battle sword slashing with a fierce and unbridled force.

"Splurch!"

Sword glimmers struck the Bladebite Beast, tearing into its flesh. The beast roared in pain. The four mercenaries took advantage of the successful strike to retreat, and the muscular young man surged forward. His battle sword roared with a tempest's fury as he viciously aimed for the Bladebite Beast's head.

The Bladebite Beast howled, swiping a claw at the battle sword, sending sparks flying and a deafening sound rippling through the air. The man was brutally repelled, but the beast's claw was left dripping with blood.

"You! Have you seen enough? Lend a hand!" The man tumbled to the ground, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, suddenly shouting toward the spot where Alavin was hidden.