Noel was still absorbed in studying the carvings on the stone slab, completely unaware that the environment around him was beginning to change. Vines on the ground were growing wildly.
The rustling of the grass was the only warning before the vines began creeping toward him, but Noel did not notice the strangeness in his surroundings.
The vines stretched relentlessly, inching toward him, their pointed tips rising and curling at eerie angles.
In the next instant, they wrapped tightly around Noel's ankle, and only then did he realize something was wrong.
"Wind Magic: Wind Blade!"
A blade of wind struck precisely at the middle of the vine, slicing it cleanly in half.
Noel quickly tore the vine off his ankle, feeling a burning pain around the joint where it had wrapped around him, even drawing a bit of blood.
The injury was manageable, nothing more than a scrape, but the vines were not retreating. Instead, they continued to grow frantically, becoming even longer.
A sense of danger flared in Noel's mind as he dodged instinctively, just as a thick vine swiped past his neck, leaving a shallow cut that stung sharply.
There's more than one of these vines?!
And worse, it seemed they were acting with strategy, which was far more troublesome. He was alone, facing what could be countless vines.
The vines did not pause in their assault. Even though their initial ambush had failed, they did not retreat. Having failed to strike from hiding, they switched to a direct attack.
The vines lashed forward, relentless, like giant serpents hunting their prey.
"What are these things?! Why won't they leave me alone? What did I even do wrong?!"
Noel's shout echoed through the forest as he fled, his appearance ragged, but none of it mattered compared to his life.
Still, the vines' behavior was too strange.
He did not believe the vines had minds of their own. It was far more likely that someone was controlling them from the shadows, guiding each precise strike.
And typically, mages using this kind of control magic could not be too far away, unless they possessed unusually vast reserves of magical power or a rare talent for long-distance control. But that seemed unlikely.
That means the caster is nearby.
That realization brought Noel a measure of calm. His goal was now clear: find the caster.
There was no point in continuing to hack away at the vines, as they would simply regenerate or multiply, growing even more aggressive. But if he could find and defeat the caster, the attack would end.
Mages specializing in this type of magic were usually weak in close combat, relying on distance and indirect attacks.
Stay calm. Listen. Sometimes you can hear things you would otherwise miss.
The rustling of the grass continued. Two vines lashed out toward him, and as Noel prepared to dodge, he heard a similar rustling behind him.
An attack from behind!
In this situation, dodging would only result in getting struck, and judging from the force of the vines, even one hit could cripple him.
And in a fight where he didn't know the true nature of his opponent, getting injured now would be a fatal disadvantage.
There was no one coming to help him. Not even Mond would be able to enter the forest now, not until the three-day period was over. The barrier surrounding the forest made it impossible for anyone to get in or out.
Noel took a breath, solidifying an idea. He condensed his Wind Blade into the shape of a dagger in his hand.
Each time a vine lunged toward him, he would use the wind dagger to slice off the attacking tip. The vines attacked wildly, but Noel did not relax, keeping his nerves taut and his eyes locked on their movements.
He matched each strike with precision, cutting away the vines as they came at him. But he knew this was only a temporary solution, and his stamina was running out fast. If he exhausted himself, it would mean defeat.
Gradually, the vines began to slow, their attacks losing their earlier ferocity. Three of the vines hesitated, pulling back as if in retreat.
Trying to escape?
Noel was furious, but he knew chasing them now would be unwise. His energy was almost spent, and his opponent was still unknown. He had no idea how many more vines there might be, and for now, he was at a clear disadvantage.
But if someone can control vines like this, they must be using wood-element magic.
Wood-element magic wasn't particularly rare, but it was uncommon for magical beasts to wield it.
The power of wood-element magic wasn't especially high, and if a beast was using it, it would typically be chaotic and unrefined—not the precise, strategic attacks he had faced.
If this was a beast with that level of intelligence, it would be disastrous. Intelligent magical beasts lived by the law of the strongest, and the only way to stop them would be to defeat or kill them. Considering his previous actions, he had likely already provoked such a beast into a fight to the death.
Or… could it be a spirit?
A wood spirit, perhaps. They were not strong individually, but they had absolute control over the forests they inhabited. They were timid and fiercely territorial.
Could it have mistaken me for an intruder?
It made sense. This was the Lake of Life, and the spirit of the forest might be a wood spirit. Perhaps drinking from the lake had triggered its wrath.
Noel realized that even if he tried to find the wood spirit, it would not show itself easily. Spirits often hid within trees, and there was no way he could cut down every tree in the area.
If possible, I'd rather resolve this peacefully. Negotiation would be best, if the spirit would listen…
Taking a deep breath, Noel shouted into the forest:
"Can you come out and meet me? I know you're hiding among the trees. Please believe me—I mean no harm. I think we can talk this out!"
The forest fell even more silent, with no response. The wood spirit did not reveal itself, a clear sign it still distrusted him and was observing him from within the forest.
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