After several hours of struggling without being able to open the giant metal gate, the group decided to camp there.
Riven did not dare to test if his necklace was the key. If the necklace of a random guy met on the road could open the gate, the most likely outcome would be him being tied up for interrogation and having the necklace stolen.
When the others saw Riven fail to solve the puzzle, they did not mock or ridicule him since their expectations for him were not high.
While Canis and Farrdin went to scout the surroundings, the girls rested. Inside a tent, Baz looked at Riven with hostile eyes.
Even though Riven had insulted and ambushed him, Riven was currently linked to the lady, so Baz had to monitor him and ensure nothing dangerous happened to him.
"Why are you staring at me? Is this the first time you have seen your biological father?"
"Lower-class half-breed, just wait until your link with the lady is severed. At that time, I will definitely make you pay."
"Of course, a father's face is always handsome, not ugly like his son."
Although furious, Baz realized he could not win a war of words and fell silent while continuing to watch Riven.
Feeling the tension, Riven found the situation extremely awkward. The previous time was a simple ambush, but he did not have the ability to defeat a Level 9 swordsman in a fair fight if the man was on guard.
"You can follow and supervise me. We need to find a way to open the gate to find the Heavenly Heart Wood and save Sylvie's grandfather."
"You bastard, is the lady's name something for someone like you to call?"
As the words went back and forth, a sharp snap made Riven's heart tighten.
The crystal on Riven's Death-Warning Necklace shattered. Terrified, he looked at Baz and then lunged out of the tent as fast as possible as an instinctive reaction.
Baz followed immediately after, but the moment he stepped out of the tent, a blast of heat from behind made him shiver.
Boom!
A giant blue fireball destroyed the tent and sent Baz flying toward Riven. The man looked up at Riven with furious eyes. Seeing this reaction, Riven felt confused.
He reached out to pull Baz up, knowing that only Baz could protect him from whoever shot that fireball. Baz pushed Riven's hand away and slowly stood up.
Just now, they were simply too scared after escaping death to think normally. Baz had been watching Riven and did not feel Riven had the ability to deceive him. Riven's previous punch confirmed he was definitely not a mage.
The fact that Riven recognized the danger so quickly was not too unusual, after all, he was a Scout.
With a racing heart and rapid breathing, the smell of burnt cloth lingered in the air. Riven thought about how he had just narrowly escaped death and felt a wave of complex emotions. He looked at Baz and asked.
"Did you see the attacker?"
[Skill: Night Owl. Narrows the field of vision by 80% but vision becomes clearer and sharper in the dark.] [Steel Will Activated.]
Riven's heart rate quickened and then stabilized unnaturally. The fear was still there, but it did not spread or choke his reason.
Activating the old skill of the original owner, Riven saw no targets from the direction of the fireball and could only shake his head in disappointment.
"I didn't see anyone. Monsters wouldn't be smart enough to perform a guerrilla attack like this. Does anyone in our group know how to use that spell?"
Hearing this, Baz frowned. Although he did not want to admit the possibility, nothing was impossible.
"Our group has two people who know how to use magic, Lady Sylvie and Master Canis. But neither of them has the motive or the ability. A blue fire spell requires at least Level 17 or a special item."
Keeping this in mind, Riven continued the discussion.
"Sylvie couldn't kill me to commit suicide, but who is that priest? He seems to be on equal footing with her."
Baz knew the seriousness of the problem, so he ignored Riven's direct use of Sylvie's name and answered.
"Master Canis is the best friend of the young master. How could he seek to harm his friend's sister?"
"This is complicated. Let's go find Farrdin. He went with the priest. If the priest has disappeared, it will confirm everything."
With too little information, Riven could not deduce anything and could only rely on witnesses.
The two left the area, both in a state of extreme alertness after their near-death experience. Baz still had confidence because the previous attack was an ambush when he had no vision. If he met that enemy again, it wouldn't be too hard to deal with. The problem was the burden next to him that needed protection.
Riven raised his right hand, signaling to stop.
"There is something ahead."
Lying on the ground was a lifeless doll only the size of a palm. A piece seemed to be missing from its chest, and the Mana circuits on it had stopped functioning. Information appeared above the doll that only Riven could see, making him as happy as if he had won the lottery.
[Damaged Ancient Golem. Missing core. Passive: Counters unclean things. Capable of increasing strength by consuming minerals.]
Without thinking, Riven reached out to touch it. Baz had no intention of fighting over a piece of scrap metal and did not care.
The moment his hand touched the Golem, a light flashed and pulled Riven inside. Both vanished into thin air before Baz's eyes.
Baz stood dazed, then screamed.
"Pretty boy! Pretty boy! Sora, where are you!"
Opening his eyes, Riven found himself still in a cavern, though he wasn't sure where. Light from vines clinging to the walls made the atmosphere magical, and the sound of flowing water put his soul at ease.
Suddenly, a melodious singing voice reached Riven's ears.
"Isn't this the voice of the intellectual sister?"
So I didn't fall into another dimension but was only teleported a short distance. This Golem is strange.
Approaching the singing, a stream was revealed. The sound of water against skin became clearer, making Riven feel a bit lightheaded. However, she was an archer, and her observation skills would not be lacking.
Riven had heard that archers had an ability to detect when others were looking at them. Since he did not have a stealth skill yet, he did not dare to risk it.
Although he wanted to see more, he couldn't. The sound of splashing water and the scent of her body in the air made him even more restless. He tried to restrain himself and quickly went to the place where her clothes were kept.
"Sigh, I have lived a noble life only to have to perform this lowly act to track down a murderer."
The possibility that the arsonist in the group was Canis was extremely high. He had seen enough family dramas where a brother wants to kill his sister and hires others to do the deed. The most suspicious person was naturally Canis.
Even if he found Farrdin, it wasn't certain he could make Canis show his tail because the priest likely had a reasonable excuse prepared. The simplest way was to search his luggage. And to search, he needed a proper excuse.
Immediately, Riven took the underwear hanging on the cliff, then picked up a stone and threw it against the wall to create a noise before fleeing quickly.
Going to the giant metal gate, there was no one there, which was the perfect opportunity.
Looking around to make sure he wasn't being followed, Riven carefully took the necklace from his chest and nervously inserted it into the slot.
Wham!
A sound like compressed space echoed, and neon purple light circuits surrounded the pedestal. The triangle in the middle of the gate also lit up and finally opened slowly. The screeching sound of stone grinding against metal made Riven instinctively cover his ears.
Inside stretched a mystical purple forest of light with no visible end.
He quickly retrieved the necklace. Luckily, it could be pulled out without closing the gate. He put it on his neck and was about to go inside to explore when a familiar voice made him turn back.
"Pretty boy, there you are!"
The first thing the guy noticed was not asking about how the gate was opened, but asking about Riven's condition.
Baz ran out, panting heavily. It seemed he had been very worried about Riven, or rather, worried about Sylvie. Riven thought to himself.
Riven's legs gave way and he clutched his chest, beginning to cough violently with a pained expression. Seeing this, Baz worriedly ran out to help Riven up.
I'm sorry, I have no other choice. The moment Baz helped him up, Riven immediately relied on the man's lack of guard and the effect of the Cunning Gloves to slip Lan's underwear into his pocket.
In that instant, Riven's level increased from 8 to 9, matching Baz. EXP did not necessarily have to be earned by killing, but could be added by performing the right actions for their class.
"The poison is taking effect, I feel a bit better now."
"Damn it, we must find the antidote quickly. We can't let the lady suffer along with a commoner like you."
"We shouldn't talk about being ambushed."
Hearing this, Baz asked in confusion.
"Then how will we find the one who attacked us?"
"Even if you speak, it will be useless. You have the lowest status here. Do you dare open your mouth to demand to check your master's luggage?"
Baz felt it was reasonable and sighed.
"Then the only way is to investigate secretly, right?"
Riven only replied meaningfully.
"Don't worry, the bad guy will show his own tail."
Two figures appeared from afar: the priest Canis and the large man Farrdin. Their eyes were full of surprise and joy. At the same time, Lan and Sylvie also arrived.
Riven felt Lan looking at him with a slightly dangerous gaze. His heart sank. Had he run too slowly and been discovered? But his skin was very thick, and he still appeared calm on the outside.
Farrdin was the first to speak.
"How did you two open this gate?"
Seeing this, Baz immediately backed away from Riven and said Riven was the one who opened it, and that he had only just arrived.
Hearing this, everyone's eyes fixed on Riven.