Chapter 129: This Way

Before the frost could freeze the soles of their shoes, they finally broke through the wall of phantoms.

Bill bolted out immediately, and the others escaped before the “wall” reformed behind them.

Saul looked up, a bit excited, and reminded everyone, “Go through the tunnel on the right—we’ll be close to the exit to the surface!”

But just as he said that, he saw Bill raise his left hand slightly and shout, “Watch out for the Land Drifters—this way!”

Bill then turned into the left tunnel, followed silently by Wright and Byron, who veered into the same passage without a word.

Saul had meant to say the left path was a dead end, but before he could open his mouth, the others had already run inside.

He stopped briefly at the fork.

Behind him was a wintry chill, the right led to the exit but likely held an ambush by the Land Drifters, and the left… was a dead end.

Gritting his teeth, Saul followed them into the left passage.

Maybe Bill had a plan—to lure the pursuing wraiths into the right path?

If they could get the Land Drifters to clash with the wraiths, maybe there was a chance to escape in the chaos.

Saul had a belly full of questions, but watching the others sprint ahead silently, he had no choice but to keep them to himself for now.

Several minutes later, they reached the end of the tunnel.

A pile of massive boulders blocked the path forward. It wasn’t clear whether there was another path beyond them.

Even if they could dig through with their strength, it would take a long time.

Saul slowed down, about to ask what they should do next, when he was shocked to see Bill charge headlong into the pile of rocks.

Then Wright and Byron, still carrying the unconscious Nick, also passed straight through the boulders one after another.

Saul stopped in disbelief.

The scene reminded him of a moment from a classic novel.

“Could it be a Second Rank spell that lets you walk through walls?”

But unease crept into Saul’s heart.

In that novel, there was a scene just like this—where the main character was the one left behind…

He reached out and touched the wall. It was solid rock. His hand couldn’t go through.

His chest heaved. Deep down, he understood—but still, like a fool, he stepped back and rammed into the wall again.

Bang!

Pain shot through his shoulder, and clumps of dirt rained down on his head.

He leaned against the wall, trembling with fury.

“So this… this is how you plan to lure away the wraith.”

His breath came out in white puffs.

Intricate frost patterns began to spread across the nearby walls.

Cold seeped through his collar and sleeves, digging into his body.

“He’s here.”

Saul already knew what was about to happen.

Sure enough, the diary flew out.

One glance confirmed it—another death.

He had suspected Wright and Bill, but never expected Byron to be so quick to abandon him.

A true wizard wraith—an enemy Saul could never hope to fight alone.

But he didn’t give up. If he were the type to surrender, he’d have been bones by now.

He looked again at the diary’s page, his mind racing.

Years of accumulated knowledge flashed before his eyes.

“Fear comes from the unknown. But I don’t know nothing about wraiths.”

A bold idea sprang to life in his mind.

Illusions of Soul Borers leapt and writhed along his arm, though the cold had dulled their movements.

Saul pulled out several unused “Soul Armor” scrolls and looked back toward the direction he had come.

In the darkness, he could feel something approaching—no sound, only an ever-deepening chill.

He moved his arm. The frost on his sleeves crackled, breaking and forming again. His frozen face twisted into a grin.

Thud—Thud—Thud—

His Light spell began flickering uncontrollably.

Saul looked up and saw the bluish-purple figure of an old man appear at the edge of the darkness.

His face was contorted. The corners of his eyes and mouth twitched slightly. Only his upper half remained, floating in the air.

A closer look would show that his hands, nose, and even his hair didn’t belong to the same person—like a puzzle pieced together from the body parts of many different people.

Though seemingly motionless, the figure closed the distance with Saul instantly with each flicker of light and shadow, like teleportation.

The old man’s face was a mass of wrinkles, skin sagging downward. His gaze was full of hatred—and heat.

Whispers of cries and pleas returned to Saul’s ears, as if he had traveled back in time to the Battle of Hanging Hand Valley.

“Come on!” Saul roared, shattering his fear and hesitation. His mind raced through the plan he had just devised—so much so that he didn’t even look at the diary to confirm the future.

That wrinkled, ancient face grew larger and larger in his sight, until—

Darkness fell.

…

“Wright, seal the tunnel!” the moment everyone had entered the right path, Bill shouted.

Wright turned to cast the spell, but hesitated for a second.

He opened his mouth slightly, but said nothing. Then he began chanting.

At his words, spikes of stone shot out in a tight cluster, sealing the narrowest point in the tunnel completely.

Byron, carrying Nick, was running at full tilt and already winded. He grunted, “What are you doing? The wraith can go intangible any second—”

“Saul!?” Byron suddenly looked back.

He realized—Saul hadn’t come with them!

Byron’s mental state was still shaking from the frequent casting since they’d met the wraith, and he hadn’t noticed when Saul had fallen behind.

Now he understood what the others had done—why they had spent their magic to seal the tunnel.

They had shut Saul in!

“You’re insane!”

Byron turned, ready to go back.

But Bill grabbed his arm, face dark. “Byron, can you save Saul by going back? Even the three of us together couldn’t fight that wraith.”

“So you just made him bait?” Byron’s mouth split into a gaping snarl, razor-sharp teeth gleaming like a furious hound.

Wright said nothing, just turned his eyes away uncomfortably.

Abandoning the weak wasn’t new to them—but since Byron and Saul were close, Wright hadn’t expected it would come to this.

But with Bill already making the call, Wright wasn’t going back either.

Bill didn’t want to waste more time here. “Saul fell behind—this buys us time. If you want to die saving him, don’t expect us to follow. Wright, let’s go.”

He turned to leave.

“Bill,” Byron closed his eyes for a moment. When they opened again, they were calm. “At that last fork… you tricked Saul into taking the other tunnel, didn’t you?”

Bill said nothing, but his look said everything.

“I didn’t sense any spellcasting. So… you must’ve drugged him ahead of time. Was it when he got that arm wound?”

So you planned this far ahead… to get rid of him?

Byron had only recently reached Third Rank, and didn’t know Bill well.

But after today, he felt he truly understood what kind of person Third Rank apprentices were.

Just demons—slightly stronger ones.

Bill chuckled and started running again, his voice echoing behind him. “You’re overthinking it. Why would I need tricks to deal with a Second Rank apprentice?”

But he only took two steps before Byron suddenly shot ahead, blocking his path.

Bill sneered to himself. “Didn’t you also leave Saul behind? What were you acting like a saint for earlier?”

(End of Chapter)

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