By the ti Frey finished, Moon was staring at a new addition to his skill list.
[Rune Enhancent] [Order: II] [Proficiency: 14%]
'An increase of fourteen percent just from watching him work. That's neat.' Moon thought. The number would only climb further once he started practicing the skill himself.
There had also been a few runes in Frey's process that Moon didn't recognize. Symbols and patterns that weren't part of his own Rune Inscription knowledge. He put them away ntally, curious to research them later when he analyzed the staff.
"Done. Here you go, check it out." Frey presented the staff to Moon with both hands, then wiped the sweat that had gathered on his brow from the intense concentration.
Moon nodded curtly and took the weapon. He held it for a mont, feeling its weight, it was the sa weight, nothing had changed. He also inspected the mana flow through the crystal, and everything felt normal.
'Let's get so deeper analysis…' He thought before activation the Eye of Truth. The details imdiately sprang up in his eyes, revealing the information he needed.
[Staff of Fire and Water] [Order: First] [Rank: S] [Details: Crafted using the cores of two powerful S-Rank beasts, one attuned to burning fla and one to deep ocean currents. This staff enhances elental magic significantly, particularly fire and water-based spells. 20% Spell Casting Speed. 5-15% Fire and Water Spell Potency. 10 Mana Attribute.]
[Hidden Details: Your item has been enhanced by the following: - Runesmith's Inscription: All base effects increased by 10% for a duration of 7 days. - Runesmith's Inscription: Location Tracking Active for a duration of 7 days.]
Moon's expression didn't change.
He turned the staff over in his hands as if admiring the craftsmanship, nodding slightly like a satisfied custor.
But inside, he was fuming. Frey had inscribed a tracking rune into his weapon alongside the enhancent. Hidden beneath the legitimate inscription offer he had provided him, buried under layers of runic script that would look perfectly normal to anyone without the ability to see what Moon could see.
If he had walked out of here without checking, every step he took for the next seven days would have been visible to whoever Frey was reporting to.
Frey had taken a massive gamble. If Moon had returned to Earth and got the item checked, Frey's plan would be exposed. But Frey clearly thought otherwise, he was betting on the fact that Moon would remain in the Second Sanctuary to take advantage of the effect.
Moon looked up at Frey and smiled politely.
"Good work. I can feel the difference already without even casting a single spell."
Frey bead. "Glad to hear it, the effect when used is even better. Rember, one week. Co find when it wears off."
"I will."
Moon stored the staff in his ring and turned to Frey with a calm expression.
"You've been here for a while, right? You must know the area well."
Frey nodded. "A few years now. I know most of the safe routes and the hunting grounds nearby."
"Would you mind coming with for a hunt? Soone with your experience would be helpful. I'm still learning the terrain."
Frey's eyebrows rose slightly.
He's trusting ? This quickly?
He studied Moon's face for a mont, searching for any sign of suspicion or hesitation. There was none. The young man looked at him calmly, waiting for his response without any hint of suspicion.
'Does he know? No. Impossible. He's a mage. Even most Runesmiths wouldn't catch a hidden inscription unless they stripped the entire enhancent apart and examined it layer by layer. The rune is hidden in the first layers, and its not easy to spot… there's no way he noticed.'
After a brief mont of consideration, Frey smiled and nodded.
"Sure, I don't mind tagging along. But aren't you tired? You just ca back from an expedition outside with that woman, or so I heard."
Moon shook his head. "I'm feeling good. I can hunt."
"Alright then." Frey packed his tools back into his storage ring, then took out a shoulder pouch from it. A few minutes later, the two of them made their way through the narrow passage and stepped out into the howling wind of the floating island. As they walked, Frey took the lead, guiding Moon along a rocky path that wound away from the hideout.
"There's a place not far from here called the Flying Thorns Forest." Frey said over the wind. "It's one of the better hunting grounds on this island. Good variety of beasts, decent density, and most importantly, the pavilion spirits don't venture there."
Moon glanced at him. "Why not?"
"Nobody knows for sure. The forest sits at the edge of the island, far from the castle. The spirits tend to stay closer to the pavilion and the areas directly surrounding it. They've never been spotted in the forest, at least not in the years I've been here."
He pointed toward a distant cluster of dark green that clung to the island's slope. Even from this distance, Moon could see the canopy swaying violently in the wind.
"The na cos from the monster plants inside. Certain species of flora in there have the ability to shoot thorns at anything that moves within their range. The thorns fly fast, and they hit hard enough to pierce light armor.
They are also coated with poison that paralysis you for ten seconds, and kill you if not treated within a minute."
Moon's eyes narrowed, he didn't much of an issue with that. As long as the poison wasn't powerful enough to ignore his epic-rank [Purify] skill—which didn't seem like it—Moon would not be worried.
Frey waved a hand. "Don't worry though. They're very easy to spot once you know what to look for. They have a distinct red coloring at the base of their stems, and they always grow in clusters near water sources. Avoid those areas and you won't have any trouble."
He held up a finger.
"The beasts inside range from level 25 to 31. Plenty of variety. The weaker ones stick to the outer edges of the forest, and the stronger ones sit deeper in. You can control the difficulty based on how far you push."
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