Warlock Apprentice

After stopping by the stone shelter, Angor returned to the borderline that separated the lava zone from the wilderness.

In front of him, the dirt was on fire, and the air was filled with the smell of burning sulfur. Time to time, there would be lava streams seeping out of the ground as it released more smoke into the already murky environment.

The smell and heat that Angor felt from his spot already discouraged him from venturing further inside.

Staying alive in the scorching air was quite a challenge, let alone trying to find a near-wizard-level monster.

As Angor wondered if he should try his luck, he suddenly saw a comet sweeping past above him.

When he checked more carefully, he saw it was a woman covered in many flowers and tree vines, who just entered the lava zone by gliding like a figure skater. Behind her were several groups of roaring flying fishes, including several really large ones.

The woman didn’t seem to care about her pursuers at all. Casually, she performed elegant dance moves that helped her to evade every single attack directed at her. Meanwhile, as she moved, she left a trail of petals and shiny glitters.

Angor didn’t recognize her face, but he was sure the woman was really good since the deadly monsters looked like jokes at the moment.

He weighed the situation and decided to follow the woman. She had to be well-prepared since she was heading straight into the burning ground, which meant she might have an answer to where to find the exit.

Even so, Angor knew that his body was too weak to withstand the visible heat, and there was no way he could ride his Gondola openly. His only option was to climb higher.

He took out a vial of Cillian’s Witch Stew and drank it. After that, he set several magic crystals as the power source for his bracelet while he silently chanted Spirit Mantra in his mind.

His soul emerged from his body. He quickly felt lightweight and free as if he could fly to heaven or dive underground at his will.

Swiftly, he activated the sequence of gravity.

Using the power, he carried his soulless body into the air. Due to the effect of Infinite Reticence, nobody would notice that someone was flying while unconscious.

Quickly, Angor rushed into the lava zone as fast as possible.

At this moment, Angor’s flying speed was similar to when Toby first acquired gravity power.

Even without Infinite Reticence, human eyes would have a hard time trying to ascertain his figure.

To make it more convenient, it was nighttime.

It didn’t take him very long to catch up with the “fishing” woman.

While staying at a safe distance, Angor carefully surveyed the surroundings while thinking about what the woman was aiming for.

Even though the area was constantly covered by the smoke, the lava flowing on the ground made it possible for him to see clearly.

As they went deeper inside, there was lesser and lesser ground and more lava pools. When they had traveled for about several dozen kilometers, Angor even saw a glowing lake. However, he couldn’t see the edge of the lake.

The woman just stopped above such a lava lake. As for the fishes that chased her… They already fled since they couldn’t survive the environment.

The lava beneath was turning and shifting like boiling water, illuminating the woman’s face just enough for Angor to observe.

She looked beautiful. Every part of her, from her neck to her slim and smooth ankles, was covered in unknown plants and flowers. Some of the flowers were visibly withering, which created more glitters and colorful petals that scattered in the air.

She hovered quietly still and gazed at one direction with a tight frown.

Angor also looked that way and didn’t see anything noticeable. Therefore, he tried moving higher to take a better look at the lava lake. Suddenly, he found something.

In the center of the lake, there was a black patch that was void of lava. It seemed there was a giant crater or bottomless abyss right there, but the sight was made stranger when the flowing lava wouldn’t enter it.

Is that the exit?

As Angor considered, another apprentice entered his view.

This one was an average-looking man dressed in even more average clothes—cheap leather shirt and pants.

While he slowly moved into the area, Angor tried but failed to recognize him.

Angor tried to recognize him by thinking carefully, but he was sure that he didn’t see them among the elites earlier.

He had to use so many tricks to enter this place, so he thought only a few others could make it. But the truth just proved otherwise—both the strangers didn’t seem bothered by the dangerous heat at all.

Angor only looked relaxed on the outside, but truth was, his soul energy was draining at an alarming rate. If he stayed too long, he might have to eat some of the Soul Orbs intended for Toby so that he wouldn’t lose control and fall into the glowing hell.

The two strangers weren’t using any special tricks as far as Angor could see. If they were to fight now, Angor believed that he wouldn’t be able to beat them.

It seemed that his lack of experience had caused him to underestimate the strength of his peers once again. Even among people of the same level, there were still a lot of people with amazing powers.

“You came too, Sinehowze?”

The man greeted the woman with a smile.

“You’re too late,” Sinehowze scoffed and pointed at the abyss in the middle of the lava lake. “I think the Lord of Tentacles is here. So how do we draw those fools to this place?”

“Don’t mind them yet.” The man approached Sinehowze. He rested his head on her shoulder and pretended to speak in an alluring voice, “I feel… hungry. I’d like a treat.”

He even licked at the woman’s ear with obvious intentions.

Angor widened his eyes a little. Are these people going to have a lovers’ picnic right here?

Sinehowze pushed the other apprentice away. “Enough, Carveline. Turn back already. You look awful.”

The man named “Carveline” suddenly giggled in a girlish way. His leather suit then began to glow and slowly became a brighter-looking armored skirt while his face turned into a decent looking woman’s face.

“I wasn’t joking though. It’s almost a day since the beginning and I haven’t even eaten anything yet.” Carveline’s voice also changed to fit her new look; she sounded casual and lazy as before. “You’re a Gourmet Wizard, right? Can’t you cook something?”

She lifted Sinehowze’s chin with a slim finger.

“No materials, sorry. And there’s no way I’m going to use those stinky fish down there.” Sinehowze looked down at the lava lake with a sly expression. “When we get our hands on the egg of Lord of Tentacles, I’ll try grilling it into a fine omelet. Sounds good?”

Carveline frowned a little and sighed. “Fine. I’m to help you get it done anyway. Feel free to go.”

“Now’s the real question… What if I can’t defeat that Lord of Tentacles?”

“Just spit it. What do you need me for?” Carveline could somewhat read Sinehowze’s expression to comprehend her mind.

“Dira?” Sinehowze spoke carefully.

Carveline remained silent for a while and nodded. “Fine. But I can’t mimic his voice, mind you.”

“It’ll be fine! You’re THE Duchess of Facade. Just look pretty and pretend that you’re too cool and awesome to talk to them. There will always be fools who will fall for that trick!”

“Alright then…”

Carveline’s red armored skirt began to change until it fully resembled the silver uniform used by the elite apprentices from Floating Mech City.

Meanwhile, her face also turned into that of a handsome man.

Cold, distant, and constantly mocking at people… This was exactly how “Wintertide” Dira looked like.

“I guess I’m going,” Carveline said in her new voice.

“Off you go! The more fools you bring us the better,” Sinehowze said while stroking Carveline’s face. “Also, Dira looks pretty good… How about you stay this way from now on?”

“Forget it!” Carveline smiled at her friend’s joke and dashed away, leaving a freezing trail behind her.

…

Angor was there to look at everything, and he was still trying to digest what he learned.

The woman, Carveline, could imitate another person, including clothes, temperament, gender, or even abilities. And that Sinehowze, who already appeared pretty powerful, was the famous “weakest” Gourmet Wizard in the southern region!

Other than these, Angor knew little about these two women, except that they both came here for “Lord of Tentacles”. They were not looking for an exit but to hunt for cooking material.

Also, Sinehowze mentioned something about “bringing fools here”.

This probably meant that the secret in lava lake was a fraud. A bait.

Angor couldn’t confirm it for now. The possibility that the exit really existed here still stood.

So is it down in that pit or above us?