After the ship anchored, Arthur divided the crew into two groups—one assigned to unload supplies and set up camp, and the other tasked with exploring the island. Naturally, Leo was in the second group. They used small boats to reach the shore, and from there, they began their journey on foot into the dense forest ahead.
The air was hot and humid, thick with moisture, and buzzing with insects. Every step was a struggle as plants and vines clung to their legs and blocked the narrow trail. Sounds of wildlife echoed from every direction, birds in particular filling the forest with sharp cries and unfamiliar calls.
At the front of the group was Laid, leading with confidence. He was a B-rank assassin and alchemist, but more importantly, he had an uncanny ability to navigate terrain like this. It was as if he could read the land with his senses alone.
"How does he remember the way through all this?" Leo asked Moritz in a low voice, careful not to draw attention.
"He remembers the smell," Moritz replied simply.
"Smell?" Leo raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. He uses some kind of potion that sharpens his sense of smell. That's how he tracks paths and directions."
Leo nodded slowly. "That's… actually kind of brilliant."
"It is," Moritz agreed, "but apparently, only alchemists can drink it safely."
"Why's that?" Leo asked, genuinely curious.
"No idea. I just heard it does something to people who aren't trained—it corrupts them somehow."
Leo went quiet for a moment, lost in thought. 'So even alchemists have potions that only they can handle...'
He smiled to himself. The more he saw, the more he realized—the possibilities in this world were truly limitless.
After about an hour of steady trekking through the forest, the group came upon a narrow stream glistening in the fading light. They followed its gentle curve until it led them to a spring nestled in the rocks. Water flowed down from between the stones in a quiet cascade, feeding into a small, crystal-clear lake that rippled under the weight of the breeze.
Arthur stopped and turned to the others. "We'll rest here," he said simply.
The men wasted no time. With a collective cheer, they stripped off their clothes and dove into the cool water, splashing and laughing like boys let loose from duty. Leo hesitated for only a moment before joining them, the tension of the journey washing off him in waves.
Since it was an all-male group, none of them bothered with modesty. They swam freely, unburdened by decorum. For Leo, who came from another world—and who hadn't seen anything like this in his years in this one—it was slightly unusual. But not enough to trouble him. He simply let himself enjoy it.
As they climbed out of the lake, dripping and breathless, Laid threw a sideways grin at Leo. "Bet you're wishing we had some women in the crew now."
Leo smirked back. "Who wouldn't?"
They both laughed, loud and easy, before joining the others around the fire where their clothes were already drying on makeshift racks.
Later, as the others talked and joked, Leo shifted slightly apart and activated his vision spells. His eyes flickered with faint light as he scanned the area. Everything looked calm… but then he noticed faint traces of red life energy lingering in the air, barely visible—almost like heat mirages. It felt as though something had been watching them.
He rose quietly and walked toward a tree at the edge of the clearing, pulling on his still-damp shirt as he moved. The closer he got, the more certain he became—there were fading heat signatures in the air, disappearing quickly but unmistakable.
Arthur noticed him and followed. "Something wrong?" he asked.
Leo nodded, his eyes still scanning. "Someone was watching us—from that direction." He pointed toward the mountains beyond the trees.
Arthur raised his hand, palm glowing with a pale golden light. He muttered a few words, and the light spread outward in a slow wave before fading into nothing. "I'm using Lost Memory," Arthur explained. "It should reveal anyone who passed through recently."
After a moment, he frowned. "It shows nothing. How do you know someone was there?"
Leo answered without turning. "I can see traces of life energy."
Arthur blinked. "Wait. You never said you were a vampire."
Leo chuckled dryly. "I'm not. I just… inherited some of their abilities."
"How?"
"Let's just say I was blessed by the Goddess of the Moon."
Arthur stared at him, clearly wanting to press further.
"Come on," Leo added. "Can you just trust me on this one? I'll explain it someday."
"How do you know they were not our people?"
"Because no one went in that direction. I've been watching."
Arthur's expression hardened. He looked over his shoulder at the men still lounging by the fire.
"Alright. We investigate." He raised his voice. "Everyone, gather up!"
The men quickly fell into formation.
"There are signs that someone may have been watching us," Arthur announced. "We're splitting up. Laid, take five men and head back to the others—stay alert and prepare for a possible ambush. The rest of you, with me."
Laid gave a sharp nod. "Aye aye, Captain."
With that, the group split up and moved out, disappearing into the dense trees. Leo's team advanced toward the mountains, the forest growing darker with every step as evening settled in. It took them nearly an hour to reach the foothills, and by then, twilight had bled across the sky, shrouding everything in dim, silvery hues.
Leo led the way, his vision spell still active, following the faint red trail of life energy like a hunter tracking blood. The others trailed behind him, tense but silent. Eventually, the trail led them to a wide, jagged opening in the mountainside.
Arthur narrowed his eyes. "We've been here before. This cave is empty. There's nothing inside."
Leo shook his head. "The trail goes in. Whatever it is, it came this way."
They stepped into the cave, the air instantly cooler and close around them. Weapons were drawn in a silent ripple of motion—swords, spears, daggers—metal catching the fading light. All except Leo, who remained focused, eyes glowing faintly as he scanned the walls around them.
They moved deeper, the cave walls pressing in. Then, suddenly, the red aura vanished.
Leo stopped. "It's gone. The trail—it just disappeared."
A murmur of frustration rippled through the group.
"Oh, come on," one of the men grumbled. "You dragged us out here for nothing?"
Others began to echo his complaint, their voices rising in annoyance. But Leo wasn't listening. He stood perfectly still, staring at the walls, feeling the energy—or the absence of it. Arthur, on the other hand, said nothing. He watched Leo, waiting.
Leo deactivated his main spell, letting his eyes return to normal. Then he focused and activated Moonlit Gaze only. The magical world reappeared in shades of heat.
He turned slowly, inspecting each wall of the cave. Most were cold. Dead. But one—one stone surface flickered faintly, like a dying ember.
Leo approached it. The stone felt... wrong. Familiar. There was something unnatural about its presence—like it didn't belong. A layer of illusion, or maybe enchantment. He pressed his hand against it. The rock was warm, subtly humming with dormant magic.
Drawing in a breath, Leo gathered mana into his palm. It coiled into his skin, a technique he'd refined during his time studying pure magic. He could use it to release a mana pulse—mostly useless for anything else, but perfect for probing or dispelling weak spells.
He released the wave. A soft, invisible ripple burst from his hand. The wall groaned and cracked. With a sudden crash, the stone split and fell away in chunks, revealing a narrow tunnel behind it.
Silence fell over the group. Then Arthur stepped forward beside Leo, eyes narrowing at the hidden path.
"You were right," he said quietly.
Leo didn't respond. He was already moving forward. The tunnel twisted downward, narrow and damp, the walls pulsing faintly with old, residual magic. At the far end, a pale light glimmered—soft and natural. They picked up their pace, weapons drawn and steps careful.
Finally, they emerged into the open. The exit led out into a hidden valley encircled by high stone walls and dense foliage. But they barely had time to take in the sight before spears were leveled at their throats.
A dozen figures stood around them, forming a loose but firm circle—spears raised, eyes unblinking. They moved with silent coordination, precise and alert. Their clothing was made of layered green and gray fabrics—short tunics, arm guards, high boots—blending almost perfectly with the terrain.
Leo's gaze swept over them quickly. Their features were striking, silver hair, blue eyes that seemed to glow faintly in the twilight, and long, pointed ears that marked them unmistakably as elves—but not the kind Leo was used to. These were highlanders or maybe a reclusive offshoot, untouched by the outside world for centuries.
A towering figure stepped forward, muscles taut beneath a sleeveless vest, a massive greatsword slung across his back. His voice was calm but carried the weight of authority.
"How did you find this place?" he asked—not in Common, but in the lilting, old form of Elvish that Leo had rarely heard spoken aloud.
Leo's understanding was shaky at best. He caught the gist of it, but not enough to reply confidently.
Arthur, to Leo's surprise, stepped forward. "We followed your spies," he replied fluently in the same language, his accent rough but understandable.
A murmur rippled through the elven warriors. A tall woman stepped forward, a curved dagger spinning lazily in her hand. Her build was lean but powerful, her eyes sharp. She came to stand beside the male leader, eying Arthur with a curious tilt of her head.
"A human who speaks our tongue," she said with a hint of amusement. Her voice was smooth but carried an edge. "That's rare... and dangerous."
Arthur didn't flinch. "We didn't come to fight. But we will if you force us."
The elves didn't lower their weapons, but they didn't move to strike either. Tension hung in the air like a coiled spring.
Leo, meanwhile, was silently analyzing their positions. These elves were no ordinary forest folk—they were trained, disciplined. But they also didn't seem surprised... as if they'd been expecting someone eventually.
The male leader's gaze shifted to Leo. "You," he said, in slow, deliberate Ancient Elvish. "Your eyes see more than they should. What are you?"
Leo said nothing at first. He met the elf's gaze, then replied quietly, "Just a man… who sees what others miss."
The elf's expression remained unreadable, but something flickered in his eyes—suspicion, or perhaps unease. "You are the one who found our hideout, aren't you? Not even life energy lingers on that wall. How did you uncover it?"
Leo met his gaze without flinching. "Let's just say I was blessed… by God."
The elf's brow furrowed. "God? Which god?"
Leo blinked, momentarily confused. "Which god? The God."
That only deepened the tension. The leader's expression darkened, his stance tightening—until another voice cut through the moment.
"We worship the Goddess of Nature," came a low, weathered voice from behind him. "The one who breathed life into this land long before your kind walked it."
An elderly elf stepped forward, draped in flowing robes that shimmered with moss-colored words of powers. Her silver hair was braided with leaves, her eyes glowing with ancient power. She lifted her hand toward Leo, and a swirl of green light gathered in her palm, illuminating the space between them.
"This light will reveal your truth," she said calmly.
At that, Arthur instinctively reached for his sword. At the same moment, the elven leader's hand slid toward the hilt of the massive blade across his back.
But before either could draw, Leo raised a hand. "Let her."
Arthur froze, eyebrows raised. "Are you sure?"
Leo gave a short nod. Arthur hesitated, then stepped back and sheathed his blade. The elven leader did the same, though his eyes never left Leo.
Leo closed his own eyes briefly, focusing. He wrapped himself in the power of his domain. The elder was casting a spell. If she could sense the aura around him, she'd see not only his domain's power—but also the Illusion Circle woven inside them. A trap. One that allowed him to manipulate perception at the moment someone looked too deeply.
This was his chance.