Mage Legend

Soka now has a new toy, which is that metal ball that keeps dodging her in the sky. Even though the Angel tries her best, she still can't catch that nimble thing. Only when the Mage gives the command can it descend from the sky and obediently sit in Lynch's hand.

"It's really naughty! And it's too agile." Soka wiped the sweat off her forehead, pouting with obvious dissatisfaction, "It's not fair! It doesn't get tired from running around, but I'm exhausted!"

"Agile movement, that's the purpose I made it for." Lynch threw the ball into the corner of the carriage. Without instructions, it now became a powerless iron egg. The Mage handed a handkerchief to Soka, "When it's completed in the future, it will become a very agile demon statue—of course, because of the weight, it won't be like now. But I don't want a clumsy guy."

"What will it be like in the future? Will it have wings like me?" Soka stared at Lynch, "But it flies so fast now even without wings, I might not be able to catch up with it in the future."

The Mage didn't answer that question, he just said, "You can use it to practice your shooting skills. See if you can hit it. It's a very difficult thing, a good challenge."

"Won't it hurt?" Soka was a little hesitant, "My bow and arrow are very powerful, they can shoot through small trees directly."

"Don't worry, its outer protection layer is very sturdy, and you can remove the arrowhead when you shoot." Lynch encouraged, "When you can hit it, I'll reward you with something delicious!"

So along the way, they could see Soka practicing archery in the air, while the metal ball, known as the "troublemaker" by the Angel, always managed to dodge the swiftly flying arrows at the last moment. Soka gradually learned the technique through repeated failures, and now she could shoot three arrows at once, aiming in different directions. The only one a bit depressed was the pet tiger, which now became Zilvra's toy.

"It looks like I've cultivated a super archer." Lynch sighed. But when Zilvra's gaze came over, the Mage immediately corrected himself, "We, we have cultivated a super shooter. I really wonder what progress she'll have in the future."

Because of the Angel's constant practice, Morgan had new work. He occasionally ran to the roadside to break off some branches, and then used his small knife to shave them into arrow shafts to supplement the ammunition consumed by the Angel. Although he often complained that his fine craftsmanship should be used to make palace statues, when Soka's smiling little face came close, even his last bit of fatigue vanished.

The border of Yim was not far from them now, and the roads were becoming somewhat difficult to traverse, with mud pits occasionally trapping the wheels. Knight Macken asked the Mage to reduce the load, but Lynch's Spatial Bag indeed had no more spare space to use. Although Pate's sacred Beastmen had not yet threatened this area, the panic they brought with them had already drifted over. On the road, there were quite a few Yim soldiers on horseback patrolling, who would always stop and give Lynch's group a suggestion-style warning: "The road ahead isn't peaceful, and it's not the best time to do business. For safety's sake, you should at least bring a large escort."

Knight Macken politely declined their goodwill, continuing to move forward at a steady pace. The cavalry shook their heads, seeing them as crazy merchants, then turned and left. Even though it appeared calm, everyone else could feel that the closer they got to Pate's sacred territory, the more excited Macken became, but the Knight deliberately hid this. Perhaps he was worried about the battles there, or maybe he was concerned about encountering familiar faces. In any case, he had made up his mind to return to the place he had dedicated his life to.

The wisps of smoke from cooking fires receded behind them, marking the last village Lynch passed through before entering Sacred Pate. They purchased supplies there at a considerable price—Yim's merchant conduct still hadn't changed. Even though Wislin had provided a map, no one could be sure the situation remained the same as when he left. It's possible that once safe areas turned into battlefields, and if they were about to enter a battleground, they needed to be fully prepared. Flour and cured meat were piled up in Lynch's Spatial Bag, where they could be preserved for longer; the most precious seasoning was salt, which was placed together with Soka's fruits and personally overseen by Zilvra.