Art, who had been monitoring the Gray Wolf mercenary team, also noticed their sudden actions.

Before this, their actions were chaotic, or in other words, they were wandering in the forest of melancholy without any purpose, but now, they suddenly became regular.

This change happened after the thief and the hunter wandered in the forest for ten minutes.

"Is there anything?" After the Gray Wolf mercenary team was farther away, Art appeared at their previous location.

He looked around with some confusion.

There was nothing but gravel on the ground.

Maybe he didn't observe enough? Art was a little doubtful, and then he was suddenly stunned.

"Gravel?" He remembered his doubts a day ago, "Why is there so much gravel here?"

Art, who frowned, picked up a stone and stuffed it into the inventory.

[Contaminated gravel lv: This is an ordinary piece of gravel, before it is contaminated by psychic energy. 】

"Psychic pollution!?" Art's eyes widened.

For Art, who would read the book given by Count Glora from time to time, this word was familiar to him.

However, it was precisely because of this that a sense of crisis arose in his heart.

Psychic pollution is a condition that exists in every wizard. This is not surprising. As long as you reach a low-level wizard apprentice, your body will begin to spread psychic radiation outwards.

Although not very strong, these escaping psychic powers are a way for many extraordinary professionals to identify wizards.

After reaching the official wizard level, this kind of spiritual radiation will reach a state where it can affect external things.

Just like the Earl of Glora, when Art stayed in the castle, he could feel the Earl's spiritual energy radiation that was escaping every moment.

What made his heart palpitate the most was how he felt about the entire castle.

That castle is like a living creature, a living existence.

Although he did not have any substantial evidence or knowledge, through the descriptions in the Potion Basics and Materials Manual, he had a rough idea of ​​what the psychic abilities of official wizards would be like.

Some of the materials recorded on the basis of that potion book, such as a plant called "Wraith Flower", the above description is——

[Special plants growing in environments contaminated by high psychic energy.]

There is no doubt that high psychic pollution will create a special environment.

Art frowned, looking at the description of the stone in the inventory, and there was only one voice in his heart.

Trouble.

There is only one reason why an area can be contaminated by psychic energy——

In this area, there is an official level wizard who has lived for a long time.

"Or... was once..."

Art took out the stone, stroked it gently, and then placed it on his forehead.

After calming down, he entered a state similar to meditation, and his mental power showed a little, guiding the pitiful spiritual energy to touch the gravel close to his forehead.

A strong sense of repulsion came, blocking the spiritual energy guided by the spiritual power from the gravel.

"It can't be wrong." Art exhaled and took the stone away from his forehead.

This melancholy forest should be an area where a wizard once lived.

And these gravels... Art lowered his body and squatted on the ground, observing the gravels on the ground.

These gravels vary in size, but their colors don't seem to differ much, so they should belong to the same building.

Art narrowed his eyes. In this forest, there once lived an official wizard.

After making this judgment, Art had only one thought in his mind - to leave the forest immediately.

The power of wizards is too weird, not only other people's opinions, but other wizards also view other wizards this way.

A large part of the reason is due to this spiritual pollution.

In a place where a wizard has stayed for a long time, various abnormalities will appear.

This was something Art didn't know, but his experience and rationality from staying at Count Glora's castle for one night told him not to approach other official wizards at will, even if the other person has good intentions.

Because of Count Glora's "reputation" among the nobles, Art chose to accept Alti's invitation. It was that night that made him understand the terror hidden under the elegant postures of the wizards.

He looked at his palm and murmured: "Blue-blooded devil... blue-blooded man..."

What kind of bloodline created these existences?

Now that he already knew that this place belonged to a wizard, Art had no intention of going any further.

Now, even if he faces an ordinary robber, he is a little bit embarrassed. This weak physique is a problem for adults to fight head-on, let alone being trapped in an extremely dangerous area?

Without any hesitation, Art immediately turned around and left along the path in his memory.

Feeling the cold mist around him, he raised his head and looked at the sky, which was bright but could not see the sun, and tensed his nerves:

"I hope I still have a chance to go out."

...

"How's it going? Sheridan?" Loft asked aloud while holding a pen and recording the route.

In his hand was a map, not the fur map, but a sheepskin map. On the light yellow map, the general shape of the Forest of Melancholy was carved on it, and Loft, this

The route is being drawn on the map.

"It should be in this direction." Sheridan nodded, "However, the surrounding fog is getting thicker and thicker."

A black line appears across the lower end of the map. It is a "safe passage" marked by countless passers-by with various signs, allowing other passers-by to leave quickly.

The location where they were now was not very far from the black line. It only took half an hour to walk there. They were convinced that they were not lost. This was what they thought.

However, they did not know that they were gradually deviating from the direction.

The winding route that Loft had meticulously recorded had deviated by almost eighty degrees.

Hope felt a little uneasy. Although he was a little timid, it had to be said that timidity also meant caution.

He always felt that something was wrong with the fog around him.

"Captain..." he said hesitantly.

"Coward, are you scared?" Nortonk laughed, holding the handle of the ax with his right hand, always ready to launch a counterattack against the incoming enemy.

"What a coward." Solly glanced at Hope. They had been investigating the Forest of Melancholy for nearly two months. Is there anything else unclear?

Isn't it just thick fog and low-level monsters? It would be more troublesome if the middle-level monsters appeared, but otherwise, it would be completely fine.

Even though she said this, her hand was always ready to touch the dagger at her waist.

She was an archer, but she also practiced close defense.

Sanger narrowed his eyes, walked to the right side of the team, put the hand shield on his left arm, drew out his sword, and whispered: "Set up the formation."

After hearing the captain's words, the others did not hesitate and quickly formed a formation, surrounding Solly and Sheridan in the center.

Nortonk walked in the front and took off the half-man tall ax from his back. The swordsman Thorndike, who had been silent all this time, also silently walked to the rear and became alert.

Rand, the sword and shield bearer, took off the sword and shield from his back and consciously came to the left side of the team.

They have been cooperating for three years and have formed a skilled corresponding formation.

The thief Hope wanders alone on the outside of the team and is responsible for reconnaissance. He is the most flexible and will retreat to the formation as quickly as possible once he discovers danger.

Loft also gathered his backpack, stood next to the swordsman Thorndike, took out his weapon and prepared to deal with it.

The eight people stood ready and alert to their surroundings.

The fog gradually became thicker and a little colder, but there was never any dangerous situation.

But everyone did not relax their vigilance because of this situation. They were not a rookie team, so this situation required even more vigilance.

"Advance slowly." Sanger whispered.

He usually doesn't speak at all, but at this time, he is the most worthy of everyone's trust. He is calm enough.

Just like a gray wolf waiting for an opportunity.

It is precisely because of this that he can firmly stay in the position of captain.

"Front right!" Suddenly, Hope, who was observing carefully, opened his eyes and pointed to the right front of the team, in the direction of the angle between Sanger and Nortonk.

Hearing Hope's words, Sheridan's eagle-like eyes narrowed and he glanced at the target. After seeing the blurry shadow, he immediately drew his arrow, drew the bowstring, and fired.

Boom——

call out--

With the sound of the bow string being loosened, the arrow flew out.

Whoosh——

Amidst the soft sound, the black figure dodged the arrow, and then rushed towards Nortonk, and the sharp teeth bit hard at Nortonk's exposed strong arm.

"Go to hell!"
To be continued...