The Legendary Mage (Alavin)
Chapter 36

Alavin led the Golden Serpent in a retreat, moving far from the range of Botanic Haven towards a nearby small ravine. His aura surged as he advanced with his sword.

Earthtorrent Greatblade!

A chilling might like that of mountains and rivers erupted, and an overwhelming sword aura thundered down, pressing upon all in its wake.

The young Golden Serpent was caught by surprise, and its body suddenly dropped mid-air. With a swift strike of his sword, Alavin cleaved it in twain.

With the demise of the Golden Serpent, the cliffside no longer posed a threat, and the remaining few venomous snakes were of no consequence. Now, Alavin could safely enter the Botanic Haven to pluck the Viper's Berry.

Alavin hid in a mountain stream, not leaving the spot. He tended to his vitality while waiting for nightfall.

When midnight approached, in the still silence, he opened his eyes and boldly dashed into the darkness.

No one in the Cobalt Strike had ever dared to consider trespassing into Botanic Haven. It was a place of treasures and a forbidden land. Anyone who dared to intrude would face severe punishment. Therefore, aside from the usual patrolling Protégés, the Haven wasn't heavily guarded, which worked in Alavin's favor.

He wrapped a black cloth over half of his face and crept into the Botanic Haven, stealthily moving through the dense forest until he reached the spot where he had found the Viper's Berry earlier that day. Tying a rope around a tree root and the other end around his waist, he leaped down, plunging directly to where the Viper's Berry grew.

Before the remaining pythons and venomous snakes could react, he snatched the Viper's Berry, yanking it out roots and all, and escaped along the rope.

But then, within his Energy Core, the Shadowbringer showed signs of disturbance once more, emanating a dark, misty fog. This time, the vibration was more pronounced. What was happening? Was there still a threat nearby?

Alavin dared not move recklessly. He concealed himself in the treetops, his brow furrowed as he observed.

After a long moment of stillness, with no sign of danger or even a shadow in sight, he wondered, "Strange, is the Shadowbringer on alert because of this Viper's Berry?" "No, an Advanced Elixir Fruit wouldn't cause such a reaction from the Shadowbringer. It remained calm even when I encountered the ancient Evergreen Lichen.

"It's also quiet in the presence of formidable Magi-Monsters.

"What exactly is it warning me about?"

Wait!

The Shadowbringer wasn't alerting him about the Viper's Berry or the small Golden Serpent. Was it warning him about the mountain itself?

"Could there be something within Botanic Haven that's drawing its attention?"

Hesitant, Alavin quietly retreated back into the shadowy forest, making his way up the steep slopes toward the upper reaches of Botanic Haven.

Ascending, he found the Haven to be eerily quiet, with few patrolling Protégés and low vigilance.

Alavin easily evaded three patrolling Protégés and reached a mid-mountain area hundreds of meters high. This was an important part of Botanic Haven, shrouded in white mist and rich with the scent of herbs. Many medicinal gardens were scattered about.

"The Black Blade seems to have calmed down. Is it leading me to steal Elixir Herbs?"

Alavin stood exasperatedly outside the hedge of a medicinal garden. The bright moonlight illuminated the mist, revealing a layout that was not too extensive yet exquisitely maintained, divided into various-sized plots cultivating different Elixir Herbs, bathed in flowing light and vibrant colors. Each of the hundred or so plants was meticulously cared for.

Within the garden stood a stone cottage, housing the guardian of the garden. Each garden was protected by a single Protégé, a position undoubtedly of no small consequence.

Alavin did not risk entering. Each herb was accounted for, and the consequences of taking one would be severe.

The stone cottage was quiet, its occupant seemingly unaware that an outsider had come to 'admire' his garden.

Wandering around Botanic Haven, Alavin was unsure how much further he had climbed or where he had ended up, as the Black Blade no longer guided him. Just as he was about to leave, he stumbled upon something odd.

"What's that?"

He stood before a peculiar garden void of Elixir Herbs and stone cottages, eerily empty. Its walls were built from dark, pitch-black stones, looking quite distinctive. In the center of the yard, there stood a ten- meter-tall stone bound by thick golden chains that were fastened to the walls of the yard.

In the mystical mist of Botanic Haven, this scene appeared bizarre and out of place. Over thirty chains shimmered with golden light, dispersing the darkness and fog. The stone's outline was irregular, resembling a twisted tree or a person howling skyward.

"What is this thing?" Alavin frowned slightly, and his fingertips grazed the golden chains.

Buzz! The Black Blade in his Energy Core trembled again, stirring up a dense fog above the Energy Core.

Suddenly, the stone actually moved, in a very strange manner as if struggling to break free.

Deep underground, in the silent darkness, a pair of eyes suddenly opened, like a slumbering wraith awakened.

Buzzing intensified, and the stone's writhing became more pronounced as if attempting to escape the chains' confines. "Clang!"

The golden chains blazed brightly, all tautened, tightly wrapping around the stone, causing the surrounding walls to visibly shake. A powerful energy surged out, traveling along the chains into the stone. Gradually, the stone settled back into stillness, standing motionless in the fog.

The more Alavin watched, the more peculiar it seemed. He was about to touch the chains again. But at that moment, several patrolling Protégés, alerted by the noise, hurried over, forcing him to retreat and leave.

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