In the darkness, Brian moved through the intricate tunnels with steps as gentle as the breeze. Every step was both secretive and accompanied by a vigilant posture.

He obtained a pair of soft and silent elf boots from Jonara, as well as a highly concealable black magic cloak.

Although he did not use the "invisibility spell", hiding in the darkness was no different from using the invisibility spell.

At this moment, he was not walking aimlessly, but trying his best to move towards a place with sufficient light.

Because the Underdark is not darkness where you can't see anything.

Amid the flashes of countless luminous fungi, most areas are in darkness.

In such an environment, his night vision allows him to see his surroundings clearly.

After all, he wasn't confident enough to compare his sight distance in the dark with the drow.

Soon, he came to a cluster of fluorescent bacteria glowing with blue light.

He stared at the silent environment and quickly hid in the tunnel behind the blue-light fungi, observing everything around him vigilantly.

After a while, he spotted Santila's vague figure walking cautiously in his direction.

Like his attire, this young drow wizard wore a magic cloak that symbolized the drow elves, and wore magic elf boots. He walked briskly and eagerly, keeping his eyes focused on the journey ahead.

Brian didn't hesitate and immediately launched an attack.

——"First-level spell: secondary flame ball!"

A weak whisper echoed in the tunnel, and a dark red fireball condensed and formed in the palm of his hand in the blink of an eye.

Under Brian's control, the bright fireball dragged its slender tail flame, flexibly bypassing the jagged stalactite pillars, and headed straight towards Santila.

The drow was calm beyond Brian's expectation.

She stopped and raised her hands fiercely. A force field barrier that resisted magical energy appeared around her, and the dazzling fireball exploded into a sheet of magical flames.

Then, she quickly shuttled between the huge stalagmites, trying to make it difficult for the spell to lock her figure.

Hidden in the darkness, Brian tried his best to search for the ghostly figure of the drow. His hands were not idle, and he quickly completed another spell.

——"Third-ring spell: Fireball!"

A basketball-sized fireball roared into the stalagmites where the drow were hiding.

If he can't lock her figure, he violently destroys the place. This is the most common fighting method for a wizard who is proficient in evocation spells.

Accompanied by bursts of loud rumblings and violent explosions, the surrounding tunnels trembled, and rubble poured everywhere like rain.

Brian nimbly dodged a stone pillar that collapsed due to the vibration, and listened through the diffuse dust to the subtle sounds among the ruins.

A faint coughing sound made him instantly capture the position of the drow figure.

Just as he was thinking about how to counterattack, a dark red fireball of the same size hissed towards him.

The fireball was released so fast that it completely exceeded his expectations.

Brian instantly guessed that the other party was definitely using some kind of magic equipment or spell scroll.

This made him predict that he was likely to be wiped out by fireballs next.

——"Second-level spell: Dimension jump!"

Dim light particles swirled and danced around him, and then there was a 'bang' sound and the energy mysteriously dissipated.

Brian's expression changed, and his sensitivity to spells allowed him to realize that the moment his teleportation spell was used, the surrounding dimensional space was blocked in time.

In other words, Santila possesses some kind of magic item similar to a dimensional anchor.

It's a pity that he doesn't have the ability to release fourth-ring spells now. Otherwise, he could find a way to break this blockade.

In battles between spell casters, a tiny mistake often turns the tide of the battle.

——"Ectoplasmic barrier!"

Brian immediately calmed down, concentrated, used his psychic powers, and then hid sideways in the deep tunnel to act as a cover.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Continuous fireballs continued to smash into the bunker tunnel where Brian was hiding, falling like shells, causing the tunnel like a bomb shelter to shake violently.

The pungent smell of sulfur invaded his mouth and nose along the cracks in the tunnel, causing him to burst into tears.

At the same time, he clearly felt an aura similar to the smelly cloud technique approaching.

In other words, after the baptism of fireballs, the opponent tried to force him out with poison gas.

There was no panic in Brian's expression. He continued to retreat deeper into the tunnel while quickly completing the spell-casting gesture.

——"Second-level spell: wind creation!"

The howling wind swept away sand, rocks and smoke in the small tunnel.

He held his breath, wrapped his cloak tightly, bent down, and with a single lunge, followed the fierce wind and suddenly rushed out of the tunnel.

When Brian was about to rush to the tunnel entrance, he jumped, flew over the collapsed stalagmites and rubble, rolled on the spot, slowed down the force of his fall, and quickly stood up.

Due to his keen sense of magic, before he even raised his head to check, he sensed an energy similar to ozone coming towards him condescendingly.

——"Spell-like ability: Star of Arvandor."

Brian, who had no time to cast the spell, made a thought, and six small, twinkling meteors surrounded him, emitting a shimmering light like stars, shining brightly.

He stretched out his finger without hesitation, and three small stars dragged bright strips of light and rushed towards the speeding beam of lightning.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

There were three explosions in succession, and meteors and lightning burst into brilliant light among the dim fungi.

The dazzling light reflected the drow wizard hiding behind the stalagmite.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

The moment he locked onto his figure, Brian controlled the remaining three meteors surrounding him. They were like sharp arrows leaving a string, and shot toward Santila with a sharp sound of breaking through the air.

"Avandor's Star" is a spell that can only be mastered by spellcasters with elven blood.

Brian also gained this ability inadvertently due to the activation of elven blood.

Since spell-like spells can be released instantly without the need for gestures, spells, or casting materials, he generally will not use them easily until the critical moment.

See the magic of three speeding meteors.

Santila looked startled. She held a magic jewelry that looked like a pointer tightly in her hand, and immediately activated the spell, and her figure disappeared in the blink of an eye.

However, to her disbelief, this strange spell trembled slightly in mid-air, suddenly dragged a slender strip of light, made a sharp turn, and quickly chased after it.

A series of defensive spells appeared in Santila's mind, and she recited a series of syllables softly and quickly while making complex gestures with her fingers in the air.

In an instant, a protective barrier shining with dark blue light protected her and successfully withstood the explosion of three meteors.

Under the influence of the impact, she took two steps back and took the opportunity to quietly take out a staff that could release fireballs from her space pocket.

Just when she was about to activate the command to release the fireball, Brian's attack approached again.

This time it was an energy ball dancing with lightning. She recognized it as a spell through spell recognition almost instantly.

Although the explosive power of the lightning ball was not great, the burst of light was mottled and dazzling, as if tiny daggers stung her eyes.

She cast a spell to hold up the defensive force field and retreated while adjusting to her restored vision.

Just when she was about to fight back again, her pointed ears hidden behind her disheveled white hair keenly captured the whistling magic.

A fireball, obviously larger than before, struck over with pulsating dark red energy.

Santila's expression changed. Knowing that she could not escape, she stood there. A ring engraved with mysterious runes between her fingers shimmered, and the energy protection field appeared in time.

The air wave generated by the exploding fireball lifted the drow wizard's slender body away.

She quickly activated the drow's natural spell "Levitation" and fell to the ground gracefully and steadily.

Santila groaned, mobilized her magic power, and activated the command for the staff. The dark red gem at the top pointed directly at Brian in the distance.

When the flame runes of the metal staff burst out with scorching light, a series of fist-sized fireballs roared towards Brian one after another.

Brian concentrated his mind and mobilized the remaining spiritual energy. He raised his palm and a light blue ectoplasm barrier enveloped him.

Fireballs the size of fists exploded into brilliant magical flames one after another.

He gritted his teeth and endured the violent impact of the fireball explosion, and then immediately counterattacked.

The two spellcasters were facing each other, using magic to attack and counterattack one after another.

The complex gestures and personal momentum are like a duel between two swordsman masters. The frightening, gorgeous and deadly magical light keeps exploding in the darkness.

After successfully countering the spell again, Santila looked at Brian in the distance in surprise.

It is hard to imagine that after fighting for so long, he still has the strength to resist his own magic and take the opportunity to fight back.

At this time, she had consumed almost all of her magic equipment and spell scrolls.

However, her high concentration of energy shocked her to find that her enemy did not rely on any external objects at all, and could suppress her with just her own hard power, and she seemed to be able to do so with ease.

Feeling the mental energy exhausted from the continuous release of spells, Santila thought for a moment and danced her slender fingers to make a spell gesture.

This is a rare and difficult magic, few drow know it, and even fewer can master it.

She learned it from the chief mage and it took her a long time to learn it. Now her efforts must be fully rewarded.

Originally, she didn't plan to use it because she was worried that it would be too dangerous, but seeing the opponent's strength, she thought that if it hit the battle mage, it would at most make him incapacitated and not kill him.

In this case, her long-planned plan can be carried out smoothly.

That's right, what she needs is a living battle mage.

Otherwise, she would have followed her father's instructions and killed him with one blow.

However, what makes Santila depressed is that despite having so many advantages, she still can't subdue him.

Seeing a strange yet familiar energy condensed around the drow wizard in the distance, Brian vaguely guessed what spell she was about to release.

He took a deep breath, concentrated his energy, and after getting rid of the interference of the exploding fireball, he calmly murmured a powerful summoning spell.

The continuous casting of spells had already made him tired.

Fortunately, with the help of Arcane Fire, he has more spells than he imagined.

Otherwise, how could he have fought so far against an opponent who had enough magic equipment and spell scrolls?

——"Three-ring spell: mucus swallowing!"

A deep summoning circle appeared in front of his eyes, and a large piece of Horrible Devourer covered in rotting flesh crawled out of the circle.

This is a huge amoeba-like creature with countless eyes and mouths. It is a conjuration magic he learned from the drow elves.

Brian immediately controlled the summoned creature and used its huge, squirming body to quickly block it in front of him.

At the same time, a deadly spear flashing with pure white force field energy in Santila's hand cut through the darkness of the Underdark and sped towards him.

"Pfft!"

The moment the deadly force field gun hit the Dreadful Body, the surge of magical energy instantly dispelled the magical effect of the summoned object and expelled its projection back to the original world.

Brian immediately took advantage of the moment when the force field gun stopped and dodged its attack range at an extremely fast speed. Finally, it was stuck on a hard stone wall and collapsed without a trace.

Seeing this, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Looking at the figure not far away, out of fear of the fatal trump card that Santila had always kept, he did not dare to move forward unscrupulously.

Otherwise, he would have ended this battle long ago.

He thought for a moment, muttered a spell, and a bright fireball appeared in his palm.

Brian displayed the dangerous fireball, taking one step at a time with a vigilant look on his face, looking at Santila with threatening eyes, and slowly approached her.

Because he could feel that the opponent's magic was almost exhausted, so this was the best time to take action.

"Stop it."

His most powerful spell was neutralized, and the opponent walked over leisurely with fireballs still floating in his palms. Santila completely lost the desire to continue fighting.

Because she felt that she was so tired that it was difficult to breathe.

Santila's sky-blue eyes flickered and she said weakly, "I know what you need. Throw away the fireball and I will give you what you want. I swear on Rose's eighth leg."

"Drow's oaths are never trustworthy." Brian kept his distance and said warily.

"If you don't believe it, I will break this bottle." Santila took out a small glass bottle, raised his arm with difficulty, and pretended to break it.

"Whatever you want." Brian said nonchalantly.

He had never believed that there was a real antidote in the bottle, so Santila's words did not threaten him.

"this......"

Santila was speechless for a moment, but she was smart and quickly figured out the reason.

"So you have to leave me here, is that right?" She said pitifully, brushing her sweat-soaked hair.

"Do you think I have any other choice?" Brian threw the fireball in his hand and replied expressionlessly.

Santila was speechless, a hint of bitterness appeared on the corner of her mouth.

Isn't that what happened to her? It was precisely because she didn't want to succumb to the will of the family matron that she chose to make another choice.

Who would have thought that she could not subdue this battle mage with her strength, which made it difficult for her plan to progress.

Thinking of this, she looked at Brian with pity and touched her pocket with her right hand.

Her father gave her a powerful magic equipment that could solve this battle at any time if she wanted to, but she really didn't want to make this choice.

In this case, it means that I can only jump into this spider web that has already been woven.

She was a little unwilling.

Brian, who had never relaxed mentally, naturally noticed Santila's little move immediately.

His eyelids jumped in fright, but he immediately calmed down and waved his hand in a dejected manner, "Forget it, go ahead, I don't want to hurt you."

As he spoke, he dispersed the fireball in his hand.

Santila's groping movements stopped and looked at him curiously, "Why do you say that?"

Vaguely, she seemed to guess what he meant.

"As I said just now, drow's oaths are never trustworthy, so even if I kill you here, I'm afraid I won't be able to leave safely." Brian said with a wry smile.

This time, he spoke the truth.

Because the mistress of the Tux family is ready to accept Santila as an adopted daughter.

If he kills her, even if Jonara lets him go, even if she is lucky enough to pass the test of being a mistress, her old father will kill her.

In the ancient city of Orens.

What Brian is most afraid of is actually Santila's father, the Chief Archmage.

"Why would I take a life when I know it's death?" Brian sighed and said helplessly.

"That's it. That's such a pity. Can we have a chat?"

Santila was stunned for a moment, sitting on a broken stalagmite, hugging her legs and staring at him, "My name is Santila, can you tell me your name?"

"I am... Brian from the Kingdom of Cormyr." Sensing the other party's gradually lowering his guard, Brian knew there was something going on and introduced himself.

"Brian..."

Santila repeated it softly, and suddenly smiled and said, "You are from the human kingdom on the surface, and you are an experienced adventurer. Can you tell me an interesting adventure story?"

"If you think my request is too much, then forget it." She added, looking at him hopefully.

"There's nothing wrong with that." Brian laughed and took two steps forward casually. "There are so many interesting things. Even if we talk about them for three days and three nights, I probably won't be able to finish them all."

"Then you pick an interesting one." Santila was aroused by Brian.

"Okay, let me ask you a question." Brian's eyes flickered and he told her:

"Suppose you were resting in your tent one night and suddenly woke up and saw stars filling the night sky and moonlight spreading over the wilderness. What would be the first thing you would think of?"

"Tent? Stars? Moon?"

Santila put her chin on her knees, recalling the words that belonged to the earth's surface. She thought for a while and said tentatively, "I would think of the vastness of the multiverse and the insignificance of mortals, right?"

"No." Brian pretended to be mysterious and shook his head.

"What is that?" Santila was stunned for a moment and asked.

"If it were me, I would think that my tent had been stolen again." He moved closer to the drow girl and said with a smile.

"The tent was stolen? This..." Santila was startled, and a smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

She smiled and smiled, suddenly thinking that the other party was still so calm and calm even though he knew her fate next, she couldn't help but sigh again.

"Have you heard of the crow and the fox?" Brian continued.

"I've seen crows."

Santila thought seriously for a moment and said: "The wizards at the Warlock Academy will tame them and use them as their own magic pets, and this kind of sparkling bird is both beautiful and cunning. As for the fox, it seems to be a little more cunning than the crow."

"Yes." Brian nodded and said softly, "I'll tell you a story about a crow and a fox."

"Okay." Santila moved closer to Brian and nodded happily.

"A crow stole a piece of meat and stood on a big tree. When a fox passing by saw it, his mouth watered and he wanted to get the meat. He stood under the tree and praised the crow for its elegant body, beautiful feathers, and...

She should be the king of birds, and it would be even more deserving if she could make a sound."

Brian concentrated his energy secretly and told her with a smile on his face:

"In order to show that it could make a sound, the crow opened its mouth and screamed loudly, and the piece of meat fell under the tree. The fox ran up, grabbed the piece of meat, and laughed and said: Hey, little crow, if you have a brain, really

Could be the king of birds."

"This story must be a lie. Crows are not that stupid." After hearing his story, Santila retorted: "If it were me, I would definitely put the meat on the big tree first."

"Really?" Brian looked at her with meaningful eyes.

Santila raised her head in confusion to meet his strange gaze.

In a daze, she seemed to see a mysterious spiritual light shining in Brian's eyes.
Chapter completed!