The Legendary Mage (Alavin)
Chapter 82

"Let's be clear, this is the forest, not Cobalt Strike. Your fate is in your own hands, understand?

"Disperse!"

At the Elders' command, the group scattered, each person darting into the dense forest in different directions.

Alavin mingled with the main force, charging forward with the throng. Adirich didn't pursue him immediately but kept a distant watch. They couldn't make their move in plain sight; they needed to replace a secluded place and act without anyone being the wiser, where there would be no evidence even if outsiders suspected them.

When Alavin slipped away from the crowd and vanished into the wilderness, Adirich gave the order, "Search! The first to capture Alavin gets two pieces of Pearlwort!"

The ten squads cheered and scattered into the forest like a pack of wolves. They relished the thrill of the hunt and chase, considering Alavin their first prey.

But Alavin was not as easy to replace as they presumed, quickly losing all the Protégés and replaceing a secluded spot to pull out the map given to him by Carlys. "Azure Mountain is here, and I am... here."

Alavin confirmed his position and immediately set off, charging in a straight line toward Azure Mountain.

Home! I must return home!

He aimed to break free from the designated training grounds before the five Elders and the middle-aged Protégés took their positions.

"Sister! Uncle! My kinsfolk! I am coming back! I am on my way!

"Eight years... Eight years...

"Eight years... I've grown... I've returned..."

Only Alavin understood the excitement that surged within him. Would his family still recognize him after eight years?

A smile graced his face, and his eyes were misty with warmth. He sprinted down the rugged mountain paths, leaping between the thick branches of ancient trees. His body felt as if it possessed endless strength.

Home! A simple thought, a relentless belief.

He fantasized about reuniting with his loved ones, yet he also feared the sight of his town's people in suffering.

Anticipation. Emotion. Anxiety. Tension. A tumult of feelings churned within Alavin like never before.

Far off in the distance, an Obsidian Panther set its sights on Alavin, pouncing from the dense forest with a savage roar that shook the old woods. Alavin attempted to shake off the beast, but the Obsidian Panther was relentless in pursuit, its massive form crashing through the underbrush.

"No time to tangle with you," Alavin muttered as he abruptly turned and threw two flying daggers. Their blades spun fiercely, slicing through the air with a whooshing sound.

The Obsidian Panther dodged with agility, but the daggers struck true and vicious, thudding into its flesh with a dull sound as blood splattered. The force of the daggers was immense, piercing straight through and embedding deeply into an old tree beside them.

Alavin dashed forward, meeting the beast head-on with a low roar. His right fist crackled with gathered lightning.

With a thunderous crash, his punch landed squarely on the Obsidian Panther's jaw. The force of the thunderbolt and the power of his fist tore through flesh and drove into its mouth. The beast yelped as it was hurled away, scrambling to its feet only to growl weakly at Alavin before slinking away in defeat.

The creature was a Magi-Monster, whose hide would fetch a fair sum, but Alavin had no mind for hunting; he retrieved his daggers and continued his journey toward Azure Mountain.

He planned to cover fifty kilometers before nightfall, but the terrain of Griffin's Roost was uneven, and the forests lush, making progress less smooth than anticipated. Some ancient trees rose dozens of meters high, their sprawling branches forming barriers in his path.

He easily lost direction, having to pause after every stretch of the journey.

Before long, he encountered another Magi-Monster, its ferocious aura palpable from a distance. He wisely steered clear.

Soon, as he was about to climb a canopy to determine his path, a cacophony of chittering erupted from the forest ahead. A swarm of shapes approached rapidly, their white forms a blur in the chaos. Alavin squinted. A troop of monkeys?

A horde of white-furred monkeys scrambled through the branches, their agility like flight. Their eyes were blood-red, their screeches sharp as they bared their teeth, sending many birds aloft in a frenzy. Danger!

Avoid!

After nightfall, Alavin sat atop a hill, nibbling on hardtack, gazing in the direction of Azure Mountain. The journey home was proving more difficult than he'd imagined. He had planned to cover fifty kilometers by dusk, yet he had managed only thirty.

The night brought more Magi-Monsters than the day, their roars echoing endlessly under the deep veil of darkness.

He had to suppress his urgent desire to return, opting to proceed slowly. Haste would not help. He certainly didn't wish to stand before his kin, bloodied and battered.