Project: Mage - The Frugal Mage

Within the territory of spiders, the place was quiet in contrast to the white and gray environment.

The mood seemed dead and heavy, the spiders that live there did not dare to approach the place, except those that were being sent to spy on the place.

Many spiders were looking for their targets, but none of them managed to detect. Because they were just ordinary creatures and neither are wild beasts.

In a distant place and covered with shadows from giant trees and spider webs. A shadow moved quickly as between the trees and moving towards the deepest part of the spider's territory.

The shadow rarely stopped and when stopped, it disappeared in the middle of the big trees.

Looking closer at one of the moments of the shadow's rest, we can see two people hugging each other inside a hole in one of the trees. They were a man and a woman.

The man looked ordinary while the woman was beautiful with her red hair. The pair were Liu Yang and Ivy.

The two had been traveling for almost a month through the shadows of the trees. This method was the safest, but at the same time, the most tiring. Ivy needed to use her magical powers constantly to prevent the two from being found.

Whenever the couple stopped, they hid in the trees. They were the safest places.

However, there was a small problem, the cobwebs, they could not damage the webs, that would show their hiding place. Thus, the couple only hides in places where the webs were destroyed and the tree trunk was shown.

Ivy used her power from the wood element to create a hole within the tree. When they left, she did the same thing and covered the hole again.

The spider queen did not stop her subordinates from trying to investigate Liu Yang's location, as it was impossible to do so. For many of them were spies from various nations. She could only pray that Liu Yang would reach the place safely.

Luckily, the duo found no enemies on the way, but that doesn't mean there would be no enemies.

Liu Yang and Ivy know that the enemy would be at the scene waiting for them. Because of this, they were making preparations along the way.

A few days later…

The place where the pair arrived no longer had cobwebs, in the place there were only green and dead trees. Rotten water and mud can be seen from all sides.

"Liu Yang, it looks like we arrived at the place that the spider queen spoke of earlier. The edge of the spiders' territory. The spider queen didn't lie, I feel like she's closer now "Ivy whispered.

The two were talking in a low voice. The pair was still hiding in the shadows.

"Yes. Ivy, we can't get Little One's help this time. The smell of this place made her vomit and pass out. " 

The rotten smell in this place was very strong.

Little One's nose was very sensitive and the smell became much worse for her.

"I figured something like that was going to happen. Liu Yang, can you get into the swamp with your water power? "

"Yes. We can travel hidden within the swamp. This will be of great help to us "Liu Yang had thought of this plan. The problem is that it is very tiring.

Waving his hand, blue light covered the two bodies within the shadow.

"Liu Yang tries not to make a noise when entering the water. There may be some enemies hidden within the swamp. "

"Ivy, can you keep us hidden inside the swamp?"

"Yes, but it will consume more energy than normal"

"Ivy, put this in your mouth just in case" Liu Yang gave one of the items he received from the spider queen.

The items she asked for the union before she accepted to join the Union of Latin American Nations as an honorary member.

"Liu Yang, you can enter the swamp" Ivy increased the power of the Cloaking.

The pair were in a shadow over the swamp. The shadow descended and sank into the dirty, rotten water of the swamp.

Not a single wave was made, it seemed that the water bubble was part of the swamp.

Looking from inside the dirty water, the view was deplorable. Pieces of twig and dead wood, bones of humans and animals. Many types of organic material were slowly rotting in the water.

"The smell of this is awful" Liu Yang and Ivy almost vomit. They could only take it because Liu Yang used the power of the wind to get the smell out of the bubble.

The bubble moved slowly towards the deepest parts of the swamp. On the surface, no waves were created, so nobody couldn't tell if there was anything inside the swamp or not.

The pair's journey was smooth, but tense at the same time.

(Master… Master…) Little One's voice echoed in Liu Yang's mind, but she looked sick and discouraged. The rotten smell was very bad for her.

(Little One, are you okay?) Liu Yang was concerned about Little One's health.

(Yes, master, I'm fine. The older sister is helping me deal with this. Master, I need to say something important. I found one of the items the master is looking for.) Little One was happy to be useful to Liu Yang, despite her bad situation.

(Where??!!) Liu Yang was agitated when he heard this. He knew what Little One's words mean.

(Master, one of the items is at the bottom of the swamp, but it is very dangerous for the master to try to catch it. There is a very powerful creature protecting the item) Little One was concerned about this situation. She knows that Liu Yang really wants this item.

(A powerful creature?)

(Yes. This creature is in rank 7, this is equivalent to a Emperor Mage. This creature is the item's guardian)

(Little One, can you tell me where that item is? I need it urgently) Liu Yang was anxious. Only he knows why he is acting this way.

"Liu Yang, did something happen?" Ivy asked, she felt that he was acting strange.

"I'm fine. I just discovered something very important "

"Something important?"

"Yes. Inside this swamp, there is something I want. But a rank 7 creature is protecting the item "

"Is this very important to you?"

"Yes" Liu Yang answered just one word. But Ivy felt the urgency of Liu Yang, it shows how important the item was to him

"Liu Yang, if this is very important to you. I can help to get this item without the creature finding us. But it will be dangerous and very tiring "Ivy decided Liu Yang on this subject. He has already done so much for her that it was time to help him back.

"Ivy, thanks for the help" Liu Yang was very happy with this.

"Liu Yang, you are my man. It is my duty as your woman to help you. Liu Yang, do you know where that item is? " Ivy was happy about that. This is the first time she has helped Liu Yang with his business.

"Yes. The place is much further ahead and is at the bottom of the swamp. "

"Okay. Liu Yang gave me seven nanotechnology bags"

"That amount???" Liu Yang had several bags with him, as he kept many things during his travels.

"Yes. I need this to hide the item's presence. The power of a rank 7 creature is no joke. We need to prevent this thing from finding us "

"Ok" Liu Yang took things out of the bags and put them in another. He handed her the seven bags.

"Liu Yang, when you're near the item, let me know. I need to prepare.

"OK"

Some hours later…

"Ivy, we're here. Can you feel the presence of the item? " Liu Yang was able to feel a very strong death energy around him. This energy was emanated from the item that Liu Yang was looking for.

"Yes. This energy of death is very powerful. Liu Yang, is this energy emanating from the item you are looking for? " Ivy was surprised by the feeling of that energy. She knows that there are not many items that emanated this type of energy.

"Yes. Ivy, do you know what item is hidden inside the swamp? "

"No. But I know that some items have this powerful death energy, but I don't know which item it is "

"Ivy, you've heard of that item. The Thousand Deaths Flower?"

"The Thousand Deaths Flower? Liu Yang, is this serious ??? Is this the item you are looking for ?? Is that the item that is hidden here ?? " Ivy was surprised by this, she knows some things about this flower, very scary things.

"Yes. Ivy, why do you look surprised? "

"Liu Yang, don't you know how that flower is born?"

"I know"

"Aren't you surprised that something like that could be born in that place? Here is a swamp and not a battlefield or a cemetery "

"It just shows that this swamp is much more than meets the eye. Something must have happened in this place a long time ago before the swamp existed "

"Yes. I am curious to know what happened in that place so that this flower can be born "