Sunlight filtered through the forest canopy, even at the peak of midsummer noon, leaving only dappled patches on the ground below. The dense foliage of the Demon Forest kept it perpetually cool and damp, even at its edges. Thirty knights, silent and grim, moved through the forest with practiced ease. Most wore finely crafted half-plate armor and carried gleaming poleaxes. About half of them also had longbows slung across their saddles. This was Dorian's mercenary company, the "Dragon and Beauty."

Grayson, with he military experience, led the group into the forest a day ago, bypassing the main road to avoid detection by scouts from the bandit-occupied Fort Cyrus, which was still over 200 miles away. After a grueling day's march, they were now within 100 miles of their destination. The journey went relatively smoothly, without encountering any ferocious monsters. After all, the mercenaries were only operating on the outskirts of the forest.

Fort Cyrus is surrounded by numerous mountains, although most of them are low hills. Due to its remote location and lack of resources, coupled with Bedivere's intentional negligence, Fort Cyrus remained occupied for half a year without anyone taking notice. The local civilians in the surrounding areas suffered as a result. However, all of this information is outdated, and in the end, Dorian and the others had to rely on the map provided by Bedivere for this reconnaissance mission.

By afternoon, they estimated they were within 70 miles of the Fort Cyrus, entering the range of enemy scouts. Grayson ordered the group to spread out and advance in a dispersed formation. Four seasoned scouts dismounted and moved ahead to search the area.

Dorian, clad in black half-plate, rode near the middle of the group. Despite being a mage, he carried a short battle-axe with him. The axe was a work of art from the "War God's Hammer" series, with elegant lines and magical runes engraved on its back. The hilt was set with a rare black crystal. Tristan, ever the cynic, once remarked, "A battle-axe mage? Not funny."

Most mages, due to their long immersion in magical tomes and exposure to various harmful substances (most parts of magical creatures are somewhat poisonous to humans), do not possess great physical strength. Wearing heavy armor would be a significant burden for them. Additionally, it has been proven that metal significantly hinders the gathering of magical energy. Even if a mage stands still and wears full plate armor, the probability of magic failure would exceed 50%. In a battle, this is a matter of life and death. However, for Dorian, neither of these is a problem. His mental power is immense, making it effortless for him to control his meager magical abilities. Furthermore, whether it is due to his body being modified or not, Dorian's mental power experiences minimal depletion when channeling magic through metal. With his limited magical energy, enough only for casting spells of the third level, he could still unleash magic even if he were sealed within a metal sphere.

Since entering the Demonic Forest, Dorian often felt detached, as if seeing the world as flat images, hearing strange whispers. He repeatedly had the urge to pierce this veil with his axe, to see what lay beyond. He saw Grayson approaching, her mouth moving, but the words seemed muffled, as if underwater.

Dorian shook his head vigorously, as if shattering a mirror, breaking the two-dimensional world. Sound and color returned to this world. "Dorian! What's wrong with you??" Grayson shook him forcefully. "I'm fine, is something wrong?" Dorian felt exhausted, as if he had just slept with ten prostitutes. Grayson stared at him for a while before saying, "We've discovered the whereabouts of the enemy patrol. I think it's best for us to lay an ambush here and capture a few of them for questioning."

The scout trails led to within ten miles of the forest's edge, marked by fresh and old hoofprints, indicating frequent patrols of 7-8 men. As dusk fell, the mercenaries set traps and rested for the night. The next morning, Grayson positioned new lookouts at the forest edge while the rest continued to rest. Though lacking advanced military knowledge, some mercenaries were familiar with ambush tactics, making their preparations fairly competent.

After a night of deliberation, Dorian and the others realized that this patrol group might not be as simple as it seemed. Otherwise, the two skilled operatives they had sent would not have gone missing. However, despite extensive discussions, they couldn't come up with any definitive conclusions. Apart from strengthening their defenses, they couldn't reach any concrete decisions.

After a night of rest, Dorian's energy was fully restored. He gently caressed a green ring on his hand and softly chanted an activation spell. A small, inconspicuous orb of light gradually formed and rose into the sky. Dorian directed a portion of his mental power into the orb, and a new field of vision opened before him. As the orb ascended and stabilized around ten meters in the air, it provided a convenient scouting magic known as the Wizard's Eye. This magic was not highly advanced but had an exceptionally long duration. However, it had its drawbacks. The mage needed to constantly focus their attention, leaving them unable to maintain the magic during combat. Another disadvantage was that the fluctuations of this magic could easily be detected by another mage, often exposing the caster's position. This posed a lethal threat to the mage.

A clear bird song was heard at the edge of the forest, and the mercenaries sitting on the ground jumped up and entered the ambush position. The mercenaries' horses had been placed 5 miles away, and cavalry could not play any role in the forest. As the sound of horses' hooves gradually became clear, the palms of the noble scum began to sweat. This was no barroom brawl; this was life or death. Dorian did not move, and he was always observing the surroundings in the wizard's eye. Of course, the premise was that he placed himself comfortably on a big tree with lush branches and leaves.

Six scouts, relaxed and chatting, rode into view. They wore leather armor and carried swords, their vigilance lax after days without incident. The patrol's chest emblems seemed deliberately scratched off. A sudden premonition struck Dorian; a hidden danger was near. He dismissed his "Wizard's Eye" and focused his formidable mental powers to sense magical fluctuations nearby. About two miles away, he detected a faint magical presence moving stealthily towards them. An enemy mage, at least mid-level, was using invisibility.

Dorian suddenly felt at a loss. His mental perception could only discern the general location of the enemy, and the Eye of Truth that could unravel invisibility was a fourth-level spell that he couldn't currently cast. However, there had to be a solution. After pondering for a moment, a sly grin formed on Dorian's face. Seizing the opportunity while the approaching mage was still at a distance, he quickly conferred with Ryder, who was closest to him,then disappeared into the forest with surprising agility.

The patrolling knights leisurely enjoyed their breakfast, although they found the scenery of the forest rather dull. They weren't too concerned about their safety since an intermediate-level mage was secretly protecting them. The straightforward cavalrymen didn't consider the direction of the bait as a potential threat. They discussed the young village girl they had encountered during their patrol last month, reminiscing about her tender skin, slightly thick but strong waist, delightful screams, and the indescribable allure of her struggles, especially the enticing movements of her waist. Their laughter grew louder and more lascivious as they continued their conversation.

Death always arrives at the most unexpected moments. Suddenly, from deep within the trees, a swarm of arrows shot out like locusts, with twenty shortbows and three crossbows all aimed at the three riders at the front. These patrolling knights were skilled and deftly maneuvered their shields, managing to block off a significant portion of the arrows in the blink of an eye. However, each of the three riders still took several hits and fell from their horses. The remaining three unhurt soldiers reacted swiftly, charging into the forest, denying the mercenaries a second opportunity to release another volley of arrows.

The mercenaries abandoned their bows and drew their longswords, engaging in close-quarters combat. The patrolling knights showcased their impressive combat skills, particularly one knight wielding a massive greatsword. Expertly maneuvering his steed, he deftly circled around two large trees and charged into the midst of the three mercenaries who had just unsheathed their swords. With a powerful swing of his greatsword, he knocked down one mercenary and swiftly lunged towards the second. The mercenary raised his sword to parry, but with a resounding clash, his blade was easily deflected, leaving him paralyzed with fear. Reacting swiftly, he raised his left arm, using his knight's steel shield to protect his heart. The tip of the greatsword grazed the shield, creating sparks and an ear-piercing screech. The curved surface of the shield forced the sword tip to slide to the side. The mercenary was sent flying by the tremendous force, accompanied by the crisp sound of a bone breaking in his arm. The greatsword knight grinned wickedly, his wrist flicked, and the massive blade descended, inflicting a deep, bone-revealing gash on the unprotected thigh of the mercenary.

The third mercenary swiftly turned and took cover behind a tree. The greatsword knight scanned the area with his eyes, noticing that the mercenary had much more ornate armor. He immediately abandoned the two injured mercenaries and urged his horse to give chase. That mercenary was Reginald, and in this life-or-death situation, he unleashed his agility that rivaled that of a thief. Darting and weaving through the trees, he eluded the pursuing knight, who could never quite catch up to him.

The other two patrolling knights weren't as fortunate or skilled. One was in hot pursuit of a mercenary when suddenly, two poleaxes swung down from the treetops. Startled, he quickly ducked and hunched over his horse, squeezing its sides, causing the steed to leap forward, narrowly escaping the attack by a distance of over three meters. However, the other poleaxe silently struck from behind, effortlessly cleaving through his leather armor and nearly bisecting him. Grayson gracefully descended from the tree, without even sparing a glance at the fallen knight, swiftly picking up the poleaxe and heading towards the source of the ongoing battle.The remaining patrolling knight found himself surrounded by five mercenaries, led by Ryder. Like a tiger overwhelmed by a pack of wolves, he was quickly struck in the thigh by a mercenary who ambushed him from behind, followed by a flurry of swords that brought him down.

The greatsword knight continued to follow Reginald, circling around for two more rounds. However, the distant cries of agony made him change his mind. He turned his horse around, preparing to escape. Suddenly, his horse reared up, an arrow lodged in its hindquarters, causing the knight to be thrown off. Remaining composed in the face of danger, he rolled and stood up, only to find Grayson blocking his path with a blood-stained poleaxe. Behind him, Ryder appeared, wielding a heavy sword. Tristan, holding a crossbow, and Reginald, who had been desperately fleeing just moments ago, also emerged. The knight's palms grew sweaty, and he couldn't help but curse, "Where the hell did that damn mage go?"

The situation for the mage wasn't any better. Upon detecting someone's use of the Wizard's Eye, he immediately cast invisibility and cautiously approached the battlefield. As the sounds of battle erupted in the distance, he was fortunate to spot a heavily armored knight lying in ambush about thirty meters away in the forest, appearing to be a commanding officer with his distinct attire. The mage silently celebrated his luck and unleashed a bolt of lightning that struck the target directly. Watching the knight collapse, surrounded by tiny sparks of electricity, the mage confidently revealed himself and strolled over. He had great faith in the power of his spells, especially since he had prepared a second lightning spell as a backup.

The knight, struggled to stand up once again. The second bolt of lightning crossed the air, striking him once more. However, this time the knight didn't fall. Instead, he turned around, revealing a skull beneath his helmet. Flickering pale flames danced in the deep eye sockets as he stared intently at the mage. The mage watched in horror as the skeletal figure seemed to smile at him. His mouth went dry, his palms grew sweaty. Acting on instinct honed through years of combat, the mage quickly activated the protective amulet he wore. A white pillar of light rose from beneath his feet and vanished, but an invisible magical force field enveloped the mage. The second-level spell "Mage Armor" was economical, practical, and easy to learn, making it an essential defense for mages when traveling or venturing into dangerous situations.

The knight, struggled to stand up once again. The second bolt of lightning crossed the air, striking him once more. However, this time the knight didn't fall. Instead, he turned around, revealing a skull beneath his helmet. Flickering pale flames danced in the deep eye sockets as he stared intently at the mage. The mage watched in horror as the skeletal figure seemed to smile at him. His mouth went dry, his palms grew sweaty. Acting on instinct honed through years of combat, the mage quickly activated the protective amulet he wore. A white pillar of light rose from beneath his feet and vanished, but an invisible magical force field enveloped the mage. The second-level spell "Mage Armor" was economical, practical, and easy to learn, making it an essential defense for mages when traveling or venturing into dangerous situations.

Being an intermediate-level mage, the mage needed to activate the amulet to cast the second-level spell primarily because he wanted to save time to chant the next incantation. Time was the second life of a mage on the battlefield. When two mages possessed the same amount of mana and cast the same spell, the one who finished chanting first would gain the advantage. Different individuals had varying durations for chanting spells due to factors such as accents, language habits, and even their mood on that particular day, all of which could affect the efficacy of the incantation.As is generally acknowledged on the mainland, it is impossible for a stutterer to become a master of magic. However, it wasn't simply about chanting spells as fast as possible. Aside from the higher likelihood of failure with increased speed, higher-level spell incantations tended to be longer and more convoluted. The inability to shorten certain important syllables in many incantations posed a significant challenge. Identifying which syllables could be shortened often remained a mage's most closely guarded secret, one that might not even be shared with the closest of disciples.

The mage quickly completed his incantation, and a summoning circle appeared on the ground. Amidst the shimmering light, a magical creature slowly took shape. At that moment, Dorian stealthily approached from behind and swung his axe toward the mage. Just as it seemed the mage would be decapitated, Dorian felt as if his axe had suddenly struck a large block of butter, involuntarily deflecting to one side. Being a novice with only a few days of axe-handling experience, he hadn't yet mastered control over the swing.

The mage was startled, swiftly dodging to the side, but the battle axe still left a long gash across his shoulder. Dorian followed up with a flying kick, but instead of his favorite move, the "Hip Kick," he ended up executing a sweeping motion. As expected, his foot landed as if on a stack of cotton. However, the powerful and forceful kick still sent the mage flying.

"Roar!" a roar erupted behind Dorian. When he turned around, he saw a black tiger poised to pounce. Dorian cursed silently. After successfully closing in for close-quarters combat, the mage had seemingly lost his chance to cast spells. Unexpectedly, his opponent's pet turned out to be a rare combat-oriented black tiger. Meanwhile, Dorian had only his shirt on after draping his armor over Sophia. It didn't seem like it could withstand the tiger's teeth. "Hoo!" A poleaxe came down from the air, aimed at the black tiger. It turned out to be Sophia, dragging her cumbersome armor and finally catching up. The black tiger swiftly shifted its target and pounced toward Sophia.

Dorian wiped off a cold sweat and grinned as he turned towards the mage who was slowly getting up from the ground, muttering to himself. He swung his axe and attacked. Despite the protection of the magical armor, how could the mage be a match for Dorian's brute strength? Soon, his body was covered in wounds. After several incantations were interrupted, the mage gritted his teeth and hurled a handful of colorful gemstones at his opponent. It hit Dorian right in the vital spot, causing his attack to slow down. He hesitated, contemplating whether to first pick up and examine the gems. Seeing an opportunity, the mage scrambled and tried to escape, only to be tripped by a sudden upraised tree branch. The pain from all the wounds across his body overwhelmed him, and the mage almost passed out.

Meanwhile, Sophia was at a disadvantage in her fight against the black tiger. The armor she wore was too heavy, and the poleaxe didn't feel right in her hands. For a skeletal being with limited strength, knight's gear wasn't particularly suitable. In accordance with the mage's level, the black tiger was quite formidable. However, its teeth were ineffective against the steel armor that Dorian had meticulously crafted. Compared to several months ago, Sophia's bones were now well-proportioned, sturdy, and had a soft, glossy texture. The joints between her bones were dense and smooth, indicating she was a high-quality skeleton. At this point in the fight with the black tiger, Sophia finally hit the black tiger with an axe at the cost of her exposed leg bone, chopping off half of its tail. The black tiger left several tooth marks and cracks on Sophia's thigh bone.

Feeling the faint sense of distress coming from Sophia's direction, Dorian remembered the ongoing battle there and turned his head to look. However, in that momentary distraction, he heard a faint chanting behind him. Dorian immediately turned around and saw a mage with a wicked smile, holding a burning scroll in his hand. A bowl-sized firebal fireball was already in front of him. Dorian had no choice but to use his axe to shield his face and prostrate on the ground.

"Boom!" The fierce flames erupted. The black crystal on the handle of Dorian's axe hummed softly, creating a faint black shield that enveloped him. However, the shield couldn't completely block the heat, and the smell of roasted meat spread through the forest. As for the mage, already heavily injured, he couldn't withstand the power of the fireball spell and was charred to ashes.

The black tiger retreated to its own realm, and due to Dorian's serious injuries, Sophia also retreated to the otherworld. Dorian, emitting a tantalizing scent, struggled to get up but fell back down. Before losing consciousness, He vowed never to miss another opportunity to thrash a drowning dog.