In the forest outside the manor, two cloaked figures hid in the shadows.
One leaned against a tree—barely a meter tall. The other sat casually on a nearby rock.
The man on the rock spoke first.
"Our employer said the target is only a first-level wizard apprentice. I don't think it's worth setting up a magical trap."
The shorter wizard replied,
"This employer is paying generously. What if the target is hiding his strength? Better to use the trap—just to be safe. He'll definitely pass this road on his way back to White Stone Town. Once he triggers it, even if he's stronger than expected, he won't escape."
After a while, the one on the rock spoke again, his tone turning suggestive.
"It's been over an hour since the banquet ended, and he still hasn't come out… our target might be with Lady Alsa—"
"Shut up. He's coming."
The shorter wizard suddenly interrupted, eyes narrowing.
From the manor entrance, a black-haired youth with naturally tousled curls stepped out.
The tall, gaunt wizard sprang to his feet. He was over two meters tall, yet as thin as a reed.
"So he really came out," he muttered. "I thought he'd spend the night inside…"
"Quiet. He's approaching."
...
But soon, something unexpected happened.
The target suddenly veered into the forest on the opposite side of the road.
The shorter wizard's expression darkened, anxiety flashing across his face.
"Why did he go into the woods? There's no way he could've noticed us from this distance—he's not even a full-fledged wizard!"
The tall wizard turned his head.
"What now? Do we keep waiting?"
The shorter wizard clenched his teeth, thinking of the promised reward.
"No more waiting! The two of us together—he won't survive tonight, even if he's a third-level apprentice!"
Meanwhile—
Matthew adjusted his collar as he left the manor.
The hall behind him was now empty; the banquet tables laden with food and wine had already been cleared.
In the back garden, Lady Alsa had chatted with him for quite a while—so much so that he had almost felt like he was on a date.
Before parting, she had invited him to join her exchange gathering—a monthly meeting she organized for wizards to share information and conduct transactions.
Her way of inviting people is… unusual, Matthew thought dryly. Anyone would start wondering if they had Veela blood.
After leaving the manor, Matthew planned to find a nearby forest and Apparate away.
Over the past few days, he had confirmed that Apparition and Portkeys both worked in this world.
But just a short distance away, his expression sharpened.
Within his magical perception, two wizards were hiding in the forest to the right.
The road to White Stone Town split the woods on both sides. To avoid trouble, Matthew chose to enter the forest on the left.
However—
The moment he stepped in, he sensed that the two wizards had followed.
Matthew frowned.
Hostile.
They were here for him.
His right hand shifted slightly, and his wand slid silently into his grasp. Without hesitation, he cast a Disillusionment Charm, concealing himself.
Behind him, the two figures halted.
"Damn it! He vanished!" the tall wizard exclaimed.
A sharp slicing sound cut through the air.
The shorter wizard's face changed drastically—he rolled aside just in time, narrowly dodging a translucent, crescent-shaped wind blade.
Cold sweat broke out on his back.
"That was close…"
He spoke grimly,
"So he noticed us? How? Magical detection is something only full wizards can do!"
The tall wizard narrowed his eyes.
"He's too young to be a full wizard. He must have some kind of detection artifact."
Greed flashed across his gaze.
Now that's valuable.
He pulled out a fist-sized eyeball.
"Reveal!"
The eyeball floated in his palm, glowing faintly red—it nullified invisibility effects.
A strange magical ripple swept across the area.
Matthew felt it instantly.
His Disillusionment Charm was forcibly dispelled.
He was exposed.
The shorter wizard had already begun preparing his spell the moment the eyeball appeared.
A translucent blue arrow formed before him.
"Frostburst Arrow!"
As soon as Matthew became visible, the spell completed.
With a sharp motion, the wizard unleashed the arrow.
The arm-thick projectile shot forward at terrifying speed.
Matthew reacted instantly, raising a Shield Charm.
A semi-transparent barrier formed before him—
—but his expression changed.
The arrow had immense piercing power.
The shield shattered almost instantly under the impact.
Matthew dove forward.
The arrow grazed over his head and exploded behind him.
BOOM!
Shards of ice erupted outward, scattering in all directions.
Matthew clenched a sapphire in his left hand.
It was the magical artifact Link had given him—capable of instantly casting Mage Armor.
The gem glowed.
The spell activated.
A multilayered, polygonal barrier enveloped him, blocking the incoming ice shards completely.
Moments later, the sapphire dimmed, turning into a colorless stone—its power spent.
Matthew's eyes hardened.
The enemy's spells were powerful.
He had no intention of dragging this out.
This forest,
Was his damn battlefield.
...
He selected a massive tree—thick enough that four people could barely encircle it—and flicked his wand.
The tree twisted violently.
Its branches split and intertwined, forming two enormous arms.
The idea for this "Tree Guardian" came from a game in his previous life.
Originally, it attacked by throwing stones or smashing enemies with its fists.
But now—
Matthew made adjustments.
With another flick of his wand, he transformed a nearby tree into a massive greatsword.
The Tree Guardian grasped the weapon and swung.
The two wizards' faces turned pale with shock.
This… this is something an apprentice can do?!
They had been set up.
The shorter wizard cursed their employer inwardly.
This is NOT a first-level apprentice!
"I don't want the reward anymore—run!" he shouted.
But—
A horrifying realization struck them.
Their legs had already been bound by creeping branches.
They couldn't move.
In panic, they cast defensive barriers.
The Tree Guardian's enormous mass carried overwhelming momentum.
With a deafening roar, the giant sword came crashing down.
BOOM!
The ground trembled violently, sending snow flying into the air.
Snowflakes drifted slowly through the impact.