A black military SUV rumbled to a stop at the entrance of the Gloomwood Forest on the outskirts of Jianghai City.
The car door opened, and Ye Hongyu was the first to step out.
She cautiously scanned the surroundings, and after confirming it was safe, she opened the backseat door.
"Young Master, we've arrived."
Lin Mo stretched lazily and got out of the car.
He looked at the forest before him, perpetually shrouded in mist.
A cold wind rustled the leaves, and occasionally, the roars of beasts could be heard from deep within.
["Fireball" let out a sinister laugh: Gloomwood Forest, I, Fireball, have returned. Tremble, wild creatures! Fear, you ants! My wrath shall once again cleanse this sinful land!]
"......"
"Tone it down, you're a skill, not the main villain."
Lin Mo twitched the corner of his mouth, silently complaining in his heart.
The two of them walked into the outskirts of the forest, one after the other.
As they walked, Ye Hongyu skillfully drew two gleaming daggers and said:
"Young Master, to ensure your leveling efficiency, I won't team up with you."
"After all, teaming up would split your experience, and when a high-level teams up with a low-level, the experience gained is reduced."
"My plan is for me to lure and control the monsters, weaken them to near death, and you deliver the final blow. This way, you can enjoy 100% of the experience."
"Understood, Sister Ye, thank you for your hard work."
Lin Mo nodded, looking completely at ease.
Ye Hongyu glanced at Lin Mo's nonchalant demeanor and sighed softly in her heart.
She had watched this young master grow up.
Although he had always been a bit lazy, preferring to lie down rather than sit, he never displayed the arrogance typical of wealthy heirs.
He was always polite and courteous to the servants, and everyone in the household liked this young master.
Originally, she thought the awakening setback would make him despondent for a while, but unexpectedly, he was so motivated, coming straight for an all-night leveling session right after awakening.
Unfortunately... he awakened as a Basic Mage.
A trace of regret flashed in Ye Hongyu's eyes.
In this world, the mage profession values "Elemental Affinity" the most.
Affinity not only determines damage and the probability of comprehending skills but also the "control" over magical skills.
A Blazing Flame Mage with Fire Elemental Affinity, even as a beginner, can control fireballs with precision, hitting targets accurately.
But a Basic Mage is like wielding a gun with massive recoil; hitting the target is left to fate.
The further one progresses, the more apparent this control gap becomes.
Though the young master is determined, no amount of effort can easily compensate for this innate shortcoming...
Ye Hongyu thought to herself.
She planned to help the young master level up as much as possible in the coming days, but getting into the legendary "Capital Supreme Academy" seemed impossible.
After all, in its centuries-long history, that academy had never admitted a Basic Mage.
As she pondered, they had already ventured some distance into the forest.
Ye Hongyu stopped, her expression becoming more serious:
"Young Master, ahead is the Shadow Wolf territory. These creatures, though also level 3, are known for their speed and agility, making them extremely troublesome."
She turned to Lin Mo and suggested:
"With your current control over Fireball, even if I weaken them, you might find it hard to hit such agile targets."
"Missing not only wastes mental energy but also time."
"My suggestion is to bypass this area and head west to find 'Ironhide Boars.' Though they have tough hides, they move slowly, making them suitable for practicing your aim."
After listening, Lin Mo shrugged indifferently:
"We're already here, so if we encounter them, just weaken them for me. Don't waste the experience."
"But..."
Ye Hongyu wanted to persuade him further.
"Don't worry, Sister Ye, I'm quite confident in my aim."
Lin Mo grinned, full of confidence.
After all, Fireball had already cleared a path here last night, so Lin Mo wasn't worried at all.
Ye Hongyu was taken aback, looking at Lin Mo's confident expression, feeling a bit puzzled.
Where did the young master's confidence come from?
He probably hasn't encountered high-agility wild creatures.
Even an S-rank Elemental Affinity Blazing Flame Mage, on their first day after transitioning, would find it nearly impossible to hit a Shadow Wolf.
But then Ye Hongyu thought again.
True, the wild creatures on the Verdant Grassland aren't as fast as Shadow Wolves.
He probably hasn't seen them, hence the confidence.
"Alright, since the young master insists, let's give it a try."
Ye Hongyu said no more, only tightened her grip on the daggers in her hands, "If you miss, I'll step in immediately. I won't let you be in danger."
"Got it, Sister Ye, thank you."
Lin Mo smiled and patted Ye Hongyu on the shoulder.
As soon as he finished speaking.
Swish—!
The dense bushes to the left suddenly exploded, and a gray-black shadow shot out like an arrow!
[Shadow Wolf, Level: Lv.3]
"Watch out!"
Ye Hongyu's eyes sharpened, her body moving faster than her voice.
She kicked off with her long legs, her figure ghost-like as she rushed forward, her daggers slicing through the air with a chilling gleam.
"Awoo!"
The Shadow Wolf, leaping mid-air, let out a miserable howl.
Ye Hongyu precisely slashed its foreleg and abdomen, then delivered a beautiful side kick, striking the wolf's waist hard.
Bang!
The Shadow Wolf crashed heavily to the ground, not dead but extremely battered.
"Young Master, now's your chance!"
Ye Hongyu shouted, stepping back to leave the kill position open.
Though the wolf was injured, as a beast known for its speed, its survival instincts in a life-or-death situation were not to be underestimated.
It was up to the young master to seize this opportunity!
"Go, Fireball."
Lin Mo issued a command.
["Fireball" couldn't be bothered to glance at the wolf: Hmph, just a stray dog, let me grant you a splendid death!]
Whoosh—!
An orange-red fireball whooshed from Lin Mo's palm.
Just as the fireball shot out, true to its reputation for agility, the Shadow Wolf, despite its injuries, rolled sharply to the right, using its innate skill "Shadow Blink."
This roll perfectly dodged the fireball's original trajectory.
"Damn, missed!"
Ye Hongyu's heart sank.
As expected, it was still no good.
The fireball trajectory of a Basic Mage is too straight, unable to handle such sudden directional changes.
She was about to step in and finish the wolf off, to prevent it from threatening the young master's life.
But in the next second.
Ye Hongyu froze in place, her eyes widening as if witnessing something unbelievable.
The fireball that had seemingly missed suddenly halted mid-air.
Then,
The fireball forcibly changed direction, making a sharp U-turn, heading straight for the Shadow Wolf.
["Fireball" disdainfully remarked: You dare dodge? Did I allow you to dodge?! Die!]
Though Ye Hongyu couldn't hear Fireball's inner voice, she sensed that the fireball, at the moment of turning, carried an aura of furious indignation.
Boom!
The returning fireball struck the Shadow Wolf with pinpoint accuracy.
The already weakened Shadow Wolf exploded under the fireball, its flesh and blood scattering.
[Killed Shadow Wolf (Lv.3), gained experience +20!]
After killing the Shadow Wolf, Fireball vanished as promised.
"!"
At this moment, Ye Hongyu, standing nearby, stared intently at the still-burning flames.
"This... this is..."
"Stage 2 Mental Energy Guidance?!"