Translator: Leo Editor: Frappe
Stigma!
Angele suddenly shouted as the three stepped into the gate.
What?
The three wizards turned around at the same time.
Angele raised the black box in his right hand.
Can you believe this? I’m sure that the box is not mine, but someone put it in my hand. I don’t even know when it happened. Think twice before you act.
Angele stopped for a second then continued,
I believe that if the specter can insert the box into my hand without being noticed, it will be able to stab a dagger into my heart before I can fight back.
The three hesitated for a second but Reyline shook his head.
Green, I’m not the same wizard who was defeated by you. Fear will stop you from progressing.
It’s not fear,
Angele replied calmly.
You don’t have to take the risk. We survived all the challenges and Omandis is right in front of us. You can’t fight what you can’t see.
Admit it. You’re afraid of this thing.
Reyline pursed his lips as his sight fell upon the box on Angele’s right palm.
Why did the specter give the box to you instead of us?
Angele remained silent as he had no answer to that question.
Come on, there’s no point in arguing right now. It’s not a big deal. We’re still a team.
Stigma tried to cool things down.
Let’s go.
Reyline shook his head and turned around, vanishing into the white mist of the town. Stigma had an apologetic smile on his face. He nodded slightly then entered the town with Hikari quickly.
Angele and Morrisa waited outside the town quietly and watched the three wizards disappear into the mist.
It was getting darker. The clouds thickened, and the wind was getting stronger.
Why didn’t you go with them?
Angele wondered.
Morrisa hesitated for a second and responded.
The scene I saw in the bedroom was…horrifying. To be honest, I’m just modifying the healing spell models in the Six Ring High Tower. I’m not good at fighting and I hate it. However, I’m sensitive to ghosts and sometimes I can see things that others can’t see…
Huh? Even when they don’t want you to see them?
Angele narrowed his eyes.
Yeah, I know that the box isn’t yours. It gives off the same feeling as the woman I saw in the bedroom. Why don’t you just try to throw it away?
Morrisa responded in a light tone.
Angele recalled the challenges he encountered during the trip. He had some troubles with the Cloud Bees and storm spirits, but they dodged the other ones easily after listening to Stigma’s advice. Morrisa was a weak light wizard, but she helped a lot when Stigma was severely injured.
Angele wondered if the whole thing was set up by the Dark Wizard Tower. The organization might want to see if he could survive all the challenges and successfully reach Omandis in one piece.
Angele shook his head and sighed with mixed emotions.
Let’s find a place to stay around the area and wait for them to eliminate the ghost.
Alright.
They walked into the forest and found a small empty ground.
Angele used his Metal Mastery to take down several large trees and cut into planks. The planks were then tied up by metal strings and stabbed into the mud.
About half an hour later, a small wooden shelter was built up. The walls and roof were covered with a thin layer of silver metal. He wanted to make sure that the shelter was good enough to handle the possible storm.
The shelter was relatively small, but it was good enough for two people to stay inside.
With the accurate measurement provided by Zero, Angele did not waste any of the wood. He finished building the shelter before night came.
Taking down the trees and connecting the planks were not a big problem to him.
Angele stood in front of the entrance of the shelter, staring quietly at the White Mist Town through the gaps between the trees.
Morrisa found some dried branches. She wanted to make a small campfire and make some food.
Angele played with the black box in his hand as blue light dots flashed in front of his eyes.
Suddenly, he threw the black box into the air.
The box drew an arc in the sky and disappeared.
He applied so much force that the black box was thrown back into the White Mist Town.
What…are you doing?
A female voice came from behind.
Angele turned around quickly and saw Morrisa looking at him with dried branches in arms. She opened her mouth, yet nothing was coming out of it.
It felt like someone had covered his ears with two thick blankets.
Several seconds later, Angele could finally hear Morrisa’s voice again.
Master Green? Are you alright? Master Green?
Morrisa was confused as she pointed at Angele’s feet.
Your box is on the ground.
Angele was surprised. He looked down.
The black box was lying on the grass quietly beside his feet. It almost looked like the box was dropped by Angele accidentally.
The scene sent a hint of chillness to Angele’s heart. He was sure that the box was thrown away.
The first voice he also heard was not from Morrisa. It was a deep and hoarse voice, a woman speaking in a shaky tone.
Nothing, I dropped it by accident.
Angele picked the box up.
Alright, I’ll go prepare the food and the soup.
Morrisa nodded, then she turned around and entered the shelter.
‘Zero, show me the record. I want to see what happened to me exactly.’ Angele took a deep breath and ordered.
‘Loading the record…’
Several seconds later, Angele’s eyes were blurred for a second, and the event that had just happened visualized in his sight. The scene started from when he was still playing with the black box.
Angele looked at the image quietly.
He stood in front of the wooden shelter and dropped the black box by accident. It looked like that his body was paralyzed for a second and Morrisa talked to him after picking up the branches around the bushes. They had a short conversation and nothing else happened.
Angele’s expression changed. He could not believe that the record did not show him throwing the black box away.
Zero usually used the reflection of energy waves that were released by Angele to record the things happened around him. It was nearly impossible for the record to be wrong. If Angele’s memory differed from what was recorded by the chip, there would be only one way to explain it.
Something changed his memory and made him think that he threw the box away, but the box was just simply dropped to the ground.
What the hell is going on…This why I hate ghosts…god.
Angele sighed. He tried to open the box, but it was impossible. It was sealed completely, and the lid was fake.
He had been cursed by ghosts multiple times and knew it was nearly impossible to eliminate them completely. Angele was a formal wizard with high attributes and was confident that he could dodge the curse this time.
He returned to the wooden shelter and had some mushroom soup cooked by Morrisa.
Night had befallen them.
The wind was hitting the door forcefully. It almost sounded like that there were people crying in a high-pitched tone outside.
Angele sat down by the campfire, trying to contact Stigma using the communication rune.
A sunflower-shaped black rune flashed upon his nail. It was Stigma’s communication rune.
How’s the situation?
Angele questioned.
We’re doing good. Reyline checked the whole building and nothing happened. We’re having some food right now,
Stigma responded.
Stay alert. I’m sure the ghost is still around. Remember the black box we talked about in the afternoon?
Yeah, why?
I threw it away but one second later, the box appeared beside my feet,
Angele spoke in a deep tone.
It returned to your feet?
Stigma sounded surprised.
Come on, don’t try to scare me. It’s not funny.
I’m not joking…
Angele stood up and looked at Morrisa. The lady was too tired and had decided to have a nap.
Angele stepped out of the door and continued the conversation.
I’m sure I threw it away, but…
Suddenly, a familiar man appeared in his sight.
Short black hair, pale face, black robe, and a black dagger tied to the belt.
It was Stigma.
The man’s face was covered in blood. He ran to the wooden shelter at full speed.
Run! Green! Run! It’s coming! Oh, god!
Stigma shouted.
Hey, Green? What happened?
Stigma’s voice was still being transferred from the communication rune.
Alright. Our mushroom soup is almost done, but it’s bland. We need your spices…
Angele looked at the man that was still running toward him and listened to the one talking through the rune. His skull numbed.
What the hell? You’re an illusion?
Green! Listen! We need to leave now!
Stigma struggled, and he almost fell to the ground.
Angele did not move an inch. He was still trying to figure out which one was the real Stigma.
The message from the communication rune indicated that Stigma was having mushroom soup with Reyline in the building but the one in front of him was covered in fresh blood.
Are you Stigma? Show me some evidence!
Angele asked in a deep tone and took one step back.
God damn it! Not this again! The bastard tricked me and Reyline using the same method.
Stigma was having trouble breathing. He quickly activated the communication rune on his nail.
CHI
A black twisted snake rune flashed on the back of his nail. It was Angele’s communication rune.
At the same time, the voice from Stigma’s communication rune changed.
Green? Are you still there? What happened?
The voice was deep and hoarse. It sounded like an old lady speaking in a shaky tone.
It was a woman imitating Stigma’s voice.
Damn! Which one is real?
Angele’s brow knitted. He stepped back again slowly. Blue light dots flashed in front of his eyes.
