Chapter 259: Crimson Clan

"Snap..."

A footfall landed on the floor of the lush forest, snapping a dry branch into two pieces with a sound that felt slightly abrupt. The sunlight was blocked by the dense, thriving canopy of the Sorensen Mountains, casting the area into a dim, somber gloom.

"Tap, tap..."

Wang Yu gently tapped the center of his brow, just above his right eye, while turning his head to scan his surroundings. He was observing the forest he had just entered. The gesture of tapping his brow seemed superfluous, but in reality, it was to calibrate the spell cast upon his right eye: Perfect Fractal.

"Nothing out of the ordinary so far. We’ve scouted the foothills, and the spell’s feedback remains normal. These trees and grasses differ slightly from those in the Origin Forest, but they still fall within the expected range. We must venture deeper into the mountains."

The illusory lens composed of mana, suspended over Wang Yu’s right eye, featured mechanical structures that shifted and meshed as if they were physical objects. They whirred incessantly, adjusting and transforming in response to the tapping of his brow.

Streams of information manifested within Wang Yu’s field of vision. Whenever he focused his attention on an object or a group of things, his mental energy would relay the target to the "lens."

This lens, formed by the Perfect Fractal spell, would project mana outward and then feed the gathered and analyzed information back to Wang Yu in the form of text.

[Scarlet-leaf Birch. Wood age: 73 years. Growth status: Good, with slight insect damage and root aging. Estimated remaining lifespan: 217 years. Nature: Non-magical plant...]

Wang Yu’s gaze lingered briefly on a healthy-looking birch tree before him. The Perfect Fractal spell quickly relayed the tree’s data. The reason Wang Yu tapped the lens was to adjust its "zoom" level.

The higher the magnification of the "lens," the more information it fed back; conversely, the less it provided, the more concise the output. Wang Yu’s task was to calibrate the zoom to a level that gathered necessary intelligence without cluttering his vision with useless data.

"Very well. Lady Aivia, the effects of your spell are truly astonishing. This is my first time seeing such a convenient and comprehensive auxiliary technique."

Wang Yu’s words were met with a response from Sif, who was perched in a tree nearby. She, too, was utilizing the girl’s Perfect Fractal spell.

The information floating in her field of vision gave Sif a sense of novel wonder. Basic data such as time, wind speed, and temperature were arranged along the periphery, while details regarding the objects she observed hovered in translucent text at the center of her view.

Although Sif had initially experienced the same deluge of junk data that had cluttered Aivia’s vision, she quickly learned to adjust the "lens" and could not help but marvel at the spell’s power.

The technique automatically analyzed complex phenomena that would otherwise require experience and judgment, presenting the conclusions directly to her.

In the corner of Sif’s vision, a set of tracks left by a beast appeared. As her attention shifted slightly toward them, information regarding the likely species of the animal and how long ago they had passed by automatically manifested.

For a combatant, however, the most useful aspect was the Perfect Fractal’s exceptionally keen reconnaissance capability...

Drawing an arrow from her quiver and nocking it onto her longbow, Sif aimed at a dense thicket in the woods ahead. In her vision, the Perfect Fractal highlighted a hidden danger with a striking red outline: a highly venomous magical serpent.

"Whoosh!"

The arrow, imbued with no extra power, tore through the air and pinned the lethal but fragile serpent to the ground, killing it instantly. As the magical beast expired, the red outline in Sif’s vision vanished.

"How is the mana consumption? I honestly didn't expect you to be able to share this spell with others, Aivia."

Wang Yu spoke as he walked forward to retrieve the snake Sif had pinned. He applied the Power of the Chariot to the serpent’s head, squeezing its venom glands to extract the emerald-green toxin into a small vial he carried, expanding his personal arsenal of plague-poisons.

"As long as you don't keep the 'zoom' at maximum, the mana drain is roughly half the rate at which I recover it. It’s perfectly sustainable. The main limitation is the distance between you and me; the 'database' currently used by this spell is still my own knowledge."

Aivia’s voice echoed in Wang Yu’s ear. Though she was invisible to the eye, the girl was actually following them closely, maintaining a modified, advanced version of the Invisibility Skin spell.

"So, in other words, if possible, this spell could be connected to an external database?"

Wang Yu asked with a hint of surprise.

"Yes. Essentially, this spell is a processor connected to a scanner. It uses the knowledge in the database to assist in analysis, and that database isn't as strictly limited as you might think."

The girl replied.

"Damn, that’s impressive..."

Wang Yu muttered to himself. To someone like him, who possessed the relatively unique perspective of an Earthling, the potential of the girl’s Perfect Fractal spell was terrifying. As more data was added, the spell’s analytical capabilities would only continue to grow.

The word "Perfect" in the name "Perfect Fractal" would indeed draw closer to reality as the spell continued to be refined.

"Attention. Some masked humanoid creatures are approaching. There are Dark Elves, and... humans? Their strength is roughly that of a high-ranking apprentice knight. Not powerful, but I cannot yet determine if they are friendly."

Sif’s warning arrived. The perception of an Elven Ranger became exceptionally keen in the forest; the whispers of nature gathered information from the surrounding plants, relaying the distant situation to her.

"Tap, tap..." Sif tapped her brow again. The illusory lens rotated and elongated, magnifying the distant scene like a telescope.

Several hundred meters away, amidst the brush and trees, several humanoid figures wearing masks painted with garish, exaggerated facial features were closing in. Their upper bodies were bare, while their lower bodies were draped in robe-like garments.

"Do they know we are here, or is it a coincidence..."

Sif pondered for a moment before reaching a conclusion.

"They must have known of our presence to approach us. Their path is too precise, and they are constantly correcting their course to intercept us. I don't recall ever seeing these beings before. Could it be related to the Corruption?..."

Nocking an arrow to her longbow, Sif aimed vigilantly at the approaching figures.

As the guide for Wang Yu and Aivia in the Sorensen Mountains, she knew the terrain and its inhabitants far better than they did, and she was certain that such people had not existed in these mountains before.

"If we aren't sure of their intentions, there is no need to strike first. You two stay hidden; let me make contact with them."

After Sif relayed her assessment to Wang Yu, he made his decision immediately. He walked forward, intending to engage with these "natives" of the Sorensen Mountains to see if he could glean any information.

Without any attempt to conceal his presence, Wang Yu stepped out from the brush, exposing himself to the masked figures.

Upon seeing him, they paused for a moment, seemingly surprised by his appearance, but they quickly began to surround him.

There were about a dozen of them, armed with crude spears and short blades. The craftsmanship looked rough, but the edges appeared sharp enough.

"I mean no harm. May I ask if you are residents of the Sorensen Mountains? If possible, I would like to ask you a few questions."

Wang Yu stood empty-handed, raising his arms to signal that he posed no threat, hoping to lower their guard and suspicion. In any case, he didn't rely on weapons to fight.

After Wang Yu spoke in the common tongue, it became clear that the masked group understood him; the language barrier was non-existent. Their surrounding pace slowed, and one of them stepped forward, holding something resembling a staff.

"Outsider, you have trespassed into the territory of our Scarlet Clan. This is a grave offense against us. You must be punished."

The voice was coarse and raspy. As the words reached Wang Yu’s ears, he frowned slightly.

The other party’s attitude did not seem friendly at all. It appeared that the possibility of peaceful cooperation was low. If it could be avoided, he would aim to prevent a conflict.

"My apologies. I was unaware that this land was under your jurisdiction. I apologize for this, and I have no desire to clash with you. I will leave your territory immediately."

Wang Yu said in a polite, sheepish tone, stepping backward.

"Outsider, retreating cannot evade punishment. The revelation of our Ancestral Spirits told us that three intruders entered our territory. According to the rules, half of the intruders must be slain and offered to the Ancestral Spirits of our Scarlet Clan. That means two."

"But now, I do not see the other two. Have they already left, or have you hidden them? If you wish to preserve your life, hand them over, and you may be spared."

The masked figure tapped the ground with his staff. The meaning of his words did not change despite Wang Yu’s apology and offer to leave. Trespassing outsiders must be punished.

"So, it’s either hand over my companions, or die here?"

Wang Yu’s expression went blank. This group seemed to have a poor grasp of their own strength. Wang Yu wanted to avoid conflict simply because it was unnecessary, but if they truly intended to fight him, he was no saint—he would show no mercy.

"Correct. Make your decision."

The masked figure tapped his staff once more. Hearing the signal, the others closed in on Wang Yu.

"Tch, disgusting rules. I have no interest in indulging you..."

He thought to himself. Wang Yu made no overt movement, but a change had already occurred. Toxins began to permeate the surrounding air. The Power of the Chariot manipulated these lethal elements, silently and invisibly shrouding the space around them.