Gravity Mage with Level-Up System Chapter 1881: Suspicious middle aged man!

Mountain Range

"We won’t follow you," an elderly woman voiced out all of a sudden.

Hearing that, the middle-aged man grew angry. He decided to make an example out of the old woman, who was already considered a burden due to her advanced age.

He resolved to kill her.

"Since you folks are not listening to me, I’ll teach this old woman a lesson." With that declaration, he cast a magic spell.

A scorching red magic circle materialized in mid-air. In the very next second, fiery red flames erupted from the circle.

They were all aimed at the old woman and the others nearby. Though he claimed he would only teach the old woman a lesson, he clearly didn't mind striking others as well.

Swoosh!

In the blink of an eye, I vanished from my original position and reappeared on the ground beside the old woman. I quickly pulled her and a few others away, retreating to safety.

Boom!

The searing red flames impacted the ground one after another, triggering a devastating explosion. The resulting shockwave radiated outwards, engulfing the area.

The elderly, the young, and the women were about to be caught in the blast, but the men within the group managed to shield them.

The middle-aged man was utterly shocked. He had never anticipated someone would suddenly appear and rescue the old woman. He noticed the rescuer was wearing a mask.

He attempted to discern the stranger's strength but found himself unable to. A chill ran down his spine.

"Don’t tell me a Wizard from Verdantwood has intervened," he mused.

The wizards hailing from that country were renowned for their mastery of wood-type magic. However, the masked figure hadn't used any spells, leaving him uncertain.

He refrained from attacking. Once the chaotic aftermath had subsided, he inquired, "Who are you?"

"Are you part of the same group that attacked our tribes?" he accused directly.

Upon hearing this, the others in the group became visibly wary.

I glanced at the old woman. She was unharmed, but her eyes were clouded with apprehension. Clearly, she didn't trust me either.

I shook my head and replied, "I am merely a traveler. I was on my way to Verdantwood Country. However, I overheard your despicable threats earlier, which compelled me to intervene."

Hearing this explanation, everyone seemed to grasp the situation. Given their proximity to the border, encountering other wizards was not an unusual occurrence.

"So, it’s an outsider?"

"Listen, this does not concern you. You may continue on your way. Do not interfere in this matter," the middle-aged man stated.

Since he couldn't gauge the stranger's power, he wished to avoid conflict. Who knew if this person possessed a significant background?

"Hmm, I would like to leave. But I have something I must tell you all. Elder Barry is alive." After delivering this news, I informed them of his current whereabouts.

He was residing in the vicinity where the emergency stone houses had been constructed.

Cheers!

The people erupted in cheers. They had not anticipated receiving such wonderful news.

"You are lying!"

"Why are you deceiving them?" The middle-aged man began spewing these accusations.

He suspected the stranger had come with ulterior motives.

Hearing this, the other tribal members ceased their jubilant celebration. They too sensed something amiss and were reluctant to trust a stranger so readily.

"*Harumph*, the old man is a Magic Lord. I encountered him on the road earlier. He mentioned that someone from the Verdant nation had attacked their tribe."

"The survivors fled the area. He is currently searching for them." Having said this, I provided them with a description of his appearance and characteristics.

"That old man is a good person. Despite being a Magic Lord, he displayed no arrogance. He was quite kind," I added.

This time, the tribal people believed my words. Their doubts had completely vanished.

"It must be him," the old lady confirmed.

Upon hearing this, the others let go of their wariness. They were familiar with the location and knew they could reach it on their own.

The middle-aged man was stunned into silence. He, too, found himself believing the information. Fear gripped him; having committed such deeds, he realized he could no longer control the group.

They knew the path to the stone house and could get there without his guidance. He glared at the outsider with animosity but could do nothing against him.

Swoosh!

In the next instant, he decisively departed from the scene.

"Coward!"

"Elder Barry will surely kill him."

"He no longer has a place in our tribe."

The people began to curse him vociferously, especially those who had previously suffered beatings at his hands.

However, once he was out of sight, they all let out a collective sigh of relief. They no longer desired such a dangerous individual within their group.

Cheers!

They celebrated his departure in the very next moment. Young, old, and middle-aged individuals alike displayed smiles on their faces.

Their individual strength might be low, but as long as they remained united, they could overcome any adversity.

"Young man, thank you for your assistance," the old woman expressed her gratitude.

"It’s nothing, just hurry to Elder Barry’s location soon. That middle-aged man might return," I advised her.

The old woman nodded in understanding. I then departed from the area, commencing my journey towards the border.

Just as I was soaring above the dense, verdant forest, I observed a lone figure resting below. This individual was none other than the middle-aged man who had fled from the tribe.

He was engaged in some suspicious activity, prompting me to halt my advance. I resolved to observe him from a hidden vantage point.

My presence was completely masked by the system's power, rendering me undetectable to anyone, including the middle-aged man.

I alighted upon a branch of a colossal tree, easily exceeding fifty meters in height. Below me, the man was extracting an object.

[Ding! Evil polluted artifact detected.]

The system's notification echoed in my mind, and a flicker of understanding crossed my eyes. I had suspected this individual was up to no good.

Yet, the involvement of an evil item was an unexpected development.

Swoosh!

In an instant, I vanished from my perch and reappeared directly before him.

"From where did you acquire this item?" I demanded.

The middle-aged man recoiled in surprise, clutching a black knife.

My gaze fixed upon the artifact, and I immediately perceived the dark, malevolent mana clinging to the blade. There was no doubt in my mind that it was an artifact of pure evil.

Such sinister objects were typically found only within forbidden ruins. Its appearance here was utterly unexpected, and the middle-aged man was now utterly exposed.

He lacked any means of defense, and to make matters worse, he had never anticipated being discovered by someone like me. How could he possibly defend himself now?

The middle-aged man was utterly bewildered.