Greem was shocked, but he quickly balled his hand into a fist. The black cat that was trying to turn incorporeal immediately cried out in pain. The magma hand squeezed slightly, and the sound of a cracking skull rang out.
"Wait, please." The forest spirit that had just managed to escaped shouted from behind Gargamel.
Greem stopped applying pressure with his fingers. Instead, several fire runes enclosed the black cat and sealed away any chance of its escaping. Greem turned towards the two people twenty meters away from him after doing this.
"Could you please not kill the black cat? The two of us are willing to sign subordinate contracts with you. We will serve you in exchange for the black cat's life. Would that be fine?" The forest spirit stuttered with fear plastered to her face.
"No, Eva. Leave me, run! You can turn your body incorporeal and escape from here. Quick! Go…" Gargamel's withered and wrinkled old face appeared to be unbelievably emotional at this moment. His expression when looking at the forest spirit contained an immensely pure love.
"No, Black Cat is far too important to you!" The forest spirit rebutted furiously, "You sacrificed way too much of your Spirit to obtain it. You will turn mad if it dies! Do you intend to abandon me...and our child?"
Greem was completely stunned!
If it weren't because of the tense face-off they faced right now, Greem would likely have taken out a wooden stool and enjoyed this sappy romance drama between an adept and a magical creature. It was particularly so when Eva mentioned the child. Greem felt like he had been struck by lightning. He almost went insane from the comprehension of what was happening.
His eyes floated towards the forest spirit's translucent abdomen.
Chapter 397 Contract
Greem vaguely sensed the abnormality in the forest spirit's abdomen with the help of the chip's three-dimensional projection.
The forest spirit had behaved in a cowardly fashion in the fight earlier.
Greem had thought of her performance as a reflection of her true nature. It was only now that he understood that she had just wanted to protect the child in her. That was why she didn't dare to fight as aggressively as she usually would.
Greem looked at the black cat in his hand, then looked at the anxious Eva and the dejected Gargamel. For a moment, he couldn't come to a decision.
Should he kill them all, or should he use the black cat and force them to serve him for a period of time?
Greem decided after three seconds of hesitation.
"Serve me for thirty years, and I'll let you go!"
The forest spirit's eyes gleamed. She was just about to agree when Gargamel stopped her.
"How can we believe you won't go against your word?"
Clearly, as an adept, Gargamel knew the greedy and sinister nature of adepts very well. He was such a person himself.
"We can sign a fair contract of service. The power of the contract will enforce all the terms. That's fine, isn't it?" Greem laughed coldly, "You had best make up your mind quick. If I find you trying to stall for time, hehe..."
Gargamel's heart was heavy when he heard Greem's threatening words, but he insisted determinedly, "We can serve you for thirty years, but you cannot do anything to our child."
Eva, the forest spirit, had just realized this problem. She stared at Greem with abject fear in her eyes.
Greem clicked his tongue in pity.
He was very curious about the 'product' between an adept and a magical creature!
However, Greem regretfully let it slide for the sake of his future.
He didn't intend to stay in the Sarubo Clan forever. If the timing were ripe, he would raise his banner and leave the Sarubo Clan. To ensure that this became a possibility, Greem needed to have a hidden batch of subordinates that would serve him behind the back of the Sarubo.
It was for this faraway ideal that Greem had made sure to befriend Mary and Alice. He needed them on his side. Even though Meryl also seemed to be close to him, she was still a Sarubo Clan adept. Whether she would be willing to follow him once he left the clan, or not, was still an unknown variable.
After all, on the one hand, you had a mid-sized adept clan that was reasonably famous in the Zhentarim area. On the other, you had the mere makings of a group with little forces and limited resources. It was clear which side could provide her with more resources and influence.
Consequently, Greem wasn't sure that Meryl would come to his side.
In fact, he didn't even have complete confidence that Mary would side with him! The only one that had indicated willingness to join his future clan so far was Alice.
Greem's core faction was still too fragile when all these factors were taken into consideration. If Gargamel and the forest spirit joined him, it would greatly benefit his future strategic plans, even if they weren't loyal to his cause.
That was the main reason Greem had to give up on that little life that was growing inside the forest spirit!
Greem kept a tight hold on the black cat and ensured that his hand still kept it imprisoned. Meanwhile, he started to draw in the air with his other hand. Soon, he constructed a fair, impartial, and open magical contract. The terms established by the deal didn't place any discriminatory or oppressive conditions on Gargamel and Eva. It only laid out the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of both parties. The terms were so generous that it was almost similar to a contract of equal treatment.
It was undoubtedly a bizarre discovery for Gargamel and Eva. They looked at each other like they didn't believe what they were seeing.
Gargamel and Eva perused the contract to ensure there were no hidden terms, trickeries, or misleading wording. Finally, the couple hesitantly placed their soul brands on the contract.
The runes of fire slowly dissipated into the air once the contract was signed. The three of them all felt the vague change that had occurred in their souls.
No god was governing over contracts in the World of Adepts. The adepts would never pledge themselves to any deities either. Most contracts were witnessed and managed by the profound and fair World Consciousness. Anyone that dared to go against a magical contract in the World of Adepts was fated to be abandoned and punished by the World Consciousness.
It was a punishment that no adept was willing to endure!
Greem opened his hand and loosened his grip on the black cat. His body also started shrinking amid an intense shockwave of fire elementium. There wasn't a need to maintain the Flame Fiend form now that they were no longer enemies. After all, the fire energy surging from the Flame Fiend Heart was a heavy burden on Greem as well!
The black cat flashed and reappeared by Gargamel's feet the moment Greem freed it from its restraints. It dove headfirst into the shadows and didn't show himself again.
Gargamel hesitated for a moment. An awkward expression appeared on his grim face. He bowed and spoke, "Master, may I know the purpose of your trip into the Black Forest?"
Eva also betrayed an expression of curiosity.
In truth, someone as powerful as Greem didn't seem like they would ever be so destitute as to go searching for materials himself. That was why Greem's two new subordinates were so curious about his real purpose here in the Black Forest.
The existence of the magical contract meant that the two of them were now one of the few that he trusted the most. He didn't try to avoid the question.
"Through some subtle means, I managed to discover the existence of an underground volcano that I can put to use here in this stretch of the Black Forest. Its approximate location is… do the two of you know anything about this?"
Gargamel had absolutely no idea of such a geographical feature. The two adepts turned their heads to Eva.
She was a magical creature that inhabited the woods. It had been over a hundred years since she had started wandering around the Black Forest. She knew the place very well and was most qualified to be the guide.
As expected, an expression of thought and hesitation appeared on Eva's face.
Manticores?
Greem paused for a moment, but with a single thought, the chip's data library immediately displayed all the data regarding manticores.
Manticores were terrifying creatures that combined the traits of bats, lions, and scorpions. They possessed the head of a lion, the sting of a scorpion, four legs, and the wings of a bat. They fought like a lion in most circumstances, while the bat wings on their back gave them the ability to glide and fly across short distances. However, their most frightening trait was the scorpion sting on their backs.
The claws and fangs of the manticore were coated in a lethal venom, but its scorpion sting possessed unparalleled paralyzing effects in addition to its toxin. Most adepts were able to resist the venom by concocting antidotes on their own. However, their potions had little to no effect in neutralizing the paralyzing effects of the scorpion sting.
If an adept ever found himself surrounded by an entire pack of manticores, their odds of surviving was extremely low. They would be continuously paralyzed and ripped to shreds before they had a chance to resist.
However, the manticore venom and paralyzing poison were ineffective against golems. It was excellent news!
Envy appeared on Eva's face when Greem slowly told them of what he knew about manticores.
Here, he fully illustrated the overwhelming power of human adepts.
What understanding Eva had of manticores had only been obtained through countless bloody fights and personal experience. Blood had to be shed, and tears had to drop for the sake of such valuable information. On the other hand, the adepts were able to rely on the generations of knowledge that had been passed down by their ancestors. A single mention of a name and they were able to quickly extract all the information they needed from their library of knowledge that had accumulated over the ages.
They could plan their fights and prepare for any situation, even before they met the opponent. This prior preparation was what gave the adepts an absolute advantage when they clashed against magical creatures.
Most of the time, the magical creatures were often more powerful and possessed greater numbers than the human adepts they were facing. Yet, even in those situations, they were the prey of adepts; prey that could be hunted at any time. The adept's preparedness was a significant reason why!
Greem was in no mood to appreciate the turmoil in Eva's emotions right now. He only wanted to know more about the manticores and kept asking about the geography surrounding their den. After listening to Eva's answers, Greem was reasonably confident that the underground volcano he sought was located there.
Still, this was a serious matter that he had to settle personally. Greem would have to make a trip there to confirm the existence of the volcano.
It wasn't until Greem had gotten all the information he needed that he let Gargamel neutralize the poison in Sabrina's body. The mechanical girl gradually awakened from her coma. Forest Spirit Eva had left the place beforehand, so as not to expose her association with the adepts. Gargamel, on the other hand, stood obediently behind Greem.
After a slight period of unconsciousness, the adepts had come to a truce while the magical creature had gone missing? Sabrina knew something was odd about this situation, but she swallowed her doubts. She didn't presume to ask any questions.
Matters between adepts were not something a pseudo-adept like herself could seek to be a part of!
The more she knew, the more danger she invited onto herself. That was why Sabrina chose, very wisely, to remain silent.
…………
It was almost daybreak when the three of them returned to the camp.
Compared to Greem, Gargamel and Sabrina appeared to be somewhat worn out. They even had to wear their hoods to hide the burns on their faces.
The other members of the exploration party were happy to see the adepts return. Only the potions apprentice called Anthony betrayed shock in his eyes.
He was Gargamel's apprentice and undoubtedly knew of his mentor's plan. It was natural that he would be surprised that all three of the adepts had returned together. Panic and unease were written all over his face.
However, Greem couldn't care less about someone as unimportant as him. He left it to Gargamel to deal with his apprentice.
Thus, after a quick rest and a breakfast prepared by Neil, they once again continued on their journey into the forest!
Chapter 398 Plaguewood
Gargamel wasn't able to be as laid back as he had been during the first half of the trip, now that he was subordinate to Greem.
He used his skills as a potions master to drive away small magical creatures. The smell emanating from the herb pouch dangling from his staff acted as a repellant. It saved the exploration party from plenty of unnecessary fights!
However, Gargamel's concoction was only effective against magical creatures. It had zero effect on the ordinary woodland beasts. That was when the mercenaries shined.
Love, Rhodes, Fila, and the amateur hunter Neil were more than enough to deal with these ordinary beasts. If a horde of such animals attacked them, the full destructive power of Sabrina the mechanical girl was brought to bear. It didn't matter how ferocious or terrifying these non-magical beasts were. They were still no more than pieces of flesh that Sabrina slaughtered and disassembled at will.
If they hadn't been concerned about drawing the attention of the more powerful magical creatures, Sabrina could have single-handedly exterminated an entire pack of two hundred wolves without taking a single scratch.
Her magical defenses made her an impressive, god-like existence in the eyes of the adventurers. However, her power was next to nothing to the adepts. She didn't even dare breathe loudly when walking behind them, and obediently obeyed their every order. Even the frail and skinny Gargamel confidently ordered Sabrina about, despite how much it seemed like he could be blown away by a strong gust of wind.
The party advanced at a much faster speed with Gargamel's help. Just three days later, they approached their destination.
It was the first time here for most of the party. They acted cautiously and chose to set up camp near a cliff before further exploration.
Love the Swordsman brought Greem and Gargamel up a small hill. They surveyed this mysterious land through the gaps in the trees.
Plaguewood!
That was the local's name for this twenty-five kilometer stretch of the Black Forest.
The only reason why it was known as such was due to the strange state of the trees here. It was almost as if every single one of them had contracted an unknown disease. Their leaves had withered and yellowed, much like trees that were at the end of their lives.
Honestly, Plaguewood was no more than a small hill. Its highest point was only two hundred meters above the ground. The hill's slopes were gentle with no dangerous cliffs. Odd bony trees stood all over the mountain. What leaves they still had were a somewhat sickly color somewhere between yellow and green. It was an unusual sight to behold.
The trees were not very tall, and large clumps of metal existed underneath the earth. They gleamed and shone slightly beneath the sunlight. The ancient tree roots had a difficult time growing between the massive boulders in the ground, so many of the roots stuck out above the earth.
There was a trace of yellow in the brown dirt of the hill, almost as if it had the color burned away from it. It was like there was a surge of heat continuously roasting the place from underneath. The trees on the hill were like half-molten cheese in a boiling pan. If it weren't for the intermittent nature of the heat providing them with a slim chance at survival, there would be nothing left on the hill!
Greem and Gargamel looked at each other and nodded.
It was evident that there was a heat source b
eneath Plaguewood. However, they would have to risk their lives and go into the hill to discover the exact reason for the heat.
"There are caves there, there, and there. The caves are very narrow and tiny; an adult male would have to bend their backs to get in. There's a slightly bigger cave in that direction, but there are a lot of terrifying bats in there. It's virtually impossible to get inside without alerting them." As expected of an adventurer that lived by the Black Forest, Love even had a basic understanding of a dangerous place like the Plaguewood.
However, it was apparent that his understanding was limited to the surface of Plaguewood. The world hidden underneath the hill was not an area he could ever hope to access!
It was fortunate that Greem had found out about the manticores from the forest spirit. Otherwise, he would have had to find out on his own. Even Greem, with all his confidence, would have been sent scrambling awkwardly away from the cave if he dove headfirst into a pack of manticores that he hadn't known existed. He might not die, but he would have to pay a hefty price to get away!
The adventurers had fulfilled Greem's request now that they had reached this place. Going underground on a further discovery mission was not a task that ordinary adventurers could take on. It didn't matter how great of a reward Greem was willing to promise. Love wasn't foolish enough to lead his teammates right into a den of magical creatures.
Magical crystals were sweet rewards, but being alive to spend them was even better!
Greem didn't force them on any further missions either. He only asked the adventurers to stay at the surface camp. The team that would go exploring into the hill would be Greem, Gargamel, and Sabrina.
The skies once again darkened when evening fell. Everyone gathered around the camp could hear a strange noise coming from the direction of the hill.
A flood of bats rushed out of the massive cave at the foot of the hill. Their numbers were so large that they even blotted out the sky. The entire colony of bats circled in the air and waited for more and more of their brethren to join their hunt. Once their numbers were enough, they turned into a buzzing cloud and swarmed towards the nearby forest.
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