When the aggressive pursuers reached the cave entrance, Nab's figure was already gone, replaced by a white-haired youth.
The silver-white moonlight shone on the youth, giving him an ethereal, sacred, and inviolable aura. Just his calm and composed demeanor made the five people chasing Nab stop in their tracks involuntarily.
Noah smiled, looking at the five with slight interest. From their equipment and attire, it wasn't hard to discern their origins.
The Black Magic Cult.
Every time he went on a long journey, he would encounter them. These annoying people were truly persistent.
"Who are you? Where did that tribal native go just now!" The leader of the Cult team, his hand condensing Darkness Magic, threatened Noah impolitely.
Noah yawned, completely unfazed by the Cult team leader's threat, and slowly raised three fingers.
"First, my name is Nexus."
"Second, my companion is indeed a member of a deep mountain tribe, but you shouldn't describe him as a 'native'."
"Third, I hope you'll honestly explain your purpose for disguising yourselves as Vulcans later."
As soon as his voice fell, Noah's figure disappeared.
The leading Black Magic Cult team leader only felt a huge force spread throughout his body from his abdomen. The feeling was like being hit head-on by a car. He painfully hunched over and knelt on the ground, spitting out bitter complaints.
"Oh, you're so weak? You fell after just one punch."
Noah stood beside the team leader, his tone leisurely.
The team leader's face was full of pain, almost to the point of fainting.
The other four finally reacted. In just an instant, their boss was knocked to his knees by that white-haired youth with a single move. What kind of strength was this!
"There are four of us. With more people against fewer, the advantage is ours!"
"Brothers, let's fight him!"
As the classic line of cannon fodder came out, it immediately boosted the confidence of the four, who grimaced and wielded Magic, attacking Noah.
"Ah!" "Oh!" "Uh!" "Yi!"
After four screams, Noah looked speechlessly at the four unconscious people. One slap each and they quieted down. So, who gave them the courage just now?
Noah stopped thinking and then called Nab, who was hiding outside the cave, to tie up the four, while he dragged the team leader out of the cave.
Noah grabbed a handful of snow and, with a mischievous smile, stuffed it into the team leader's robe. The stimulating cold made the latter's body shiver.
Nab watched from the side, exclaiming how cruel it was—such a terrible punishment as stuffing snow into clothes!
"Tell me, why did you disguise yourselves as Vulcans and drive them to Mount Hakobe?"
Although the team leader shivered, his face wore a tough guy expression, full of the intention to die heroically. "Hmph, Nexus! Don't think I'll beg for mercy from you and expose the Black Magic Cult behind me!"
"And don't think I'll confess that driving Vulcans was to capture the 'White Snow Magical Beast' operation!"
"And don't even think you'll get me to reveal that the Cult wants to use the 'White Snow Magical Beast' to create ultimate Magic potions to carry out a 'Blood Sacrifice' on Rubinas City as revenge against Blackbird!"
"Hmph! No matter what methods you use, I won't say another word!"
Didn't you just say everything...? The team leader's series of revelations left Noah and the listening Nab truly at a loss for words.
You'd say he looked tough and fearless in the face of death, but this person managed to maintain that state throughout, confessing everything.
In summary, Noah concluded that a shameless person was invincible.
Because of the Blackbird Konzern's downfall, they wanted to retaliate against the city where it was located through a cruel "Blood Sacrifice"? A dangerous glint flashed in Noah's eyes.
From the team leader's words, Noah easily discovered that they hadn't caught the White Snow Magical Beast yet, otherwise, they wouldn't need to continue controlling Vulcans.
According to rumors, the White Snow Magical Beast was a special magical beast. It had a gentle temperament and no record of harming people. It was a pure herbivorous magical beast that fed on Winter Snow Grass.
Because Winter Snow Grass could greatly restore physical strength and Magic Power, there were rumors that the White Snow Magical Beast, which fed on it, was very likely to evolve powerful self-healing abilities and possess immense Magic Power.
The truth of the rumors was hard to discern, as no one had seen the true form of the White Snow Magical Beast to this day. However, the Black Magic Cult clearly believed in the rumored abilities of the White Snow Magical Beast.
[Ding~ You have completed the commission. Please note the Take Over of your reward.]
The notification sound in his mind made Noah realize that Nab was still on the mountain. He was injured and not suitable to stay on Mount Hakobe in this cold weather.
After persuading Nab to leave, Noah looked at the team leader, who was eagerly staring at him.
It could be said that no one who joined the Black Magic Cult was a good person. Even this five-person team must have had a lot of blood on their hands, otherwise, how could they have been sent by the Cult to carry out jobs.
Noah didn't mind playing the role of a cleaner.
He lightly snapped his fingers.
The explosion marks of the five elements—wind, thunder, water, fire, and earth—instantly lit up on each of the five members of the Cult team. The team leader's eyes widened, staring at Noah in disbelief, but in the end, he couldn't say a single word.
The snowstorm was heavy, and it wasn't long before it wiped away the bloodstains on the ground, also concealing the youth's footprints.
On a tall, snow-covered tree, a cute little cat, like a snow leopard, shook the snowflakes from its ears and excitedly said to the pure white hamster incessantly gnawing on grass in its embrace:
"Snow! That person is amazing!"
"Squeak (Yes)."
"He defeated those bad guys, we don't have to keep hiding!"
"Squeak (Yes)."
"Then let's go and be friends with him!"
"Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak!!!"
The snow leopard kitten, ignoring its only friend's objections, held the hamster in its mouth, spread a pair of wings on its back, and silently descended with the wind and snow.
The next day.
Amidst the enthusiastic farewells of the villagers, Noah and Nab, carrying the large and small bags of local specialties they were given, boarded the herbal merchant's returning carriage.
The reward had been split between Nab and Noah last night.
Noah didn't tell the village chief about the Black Magic Cult being the real culprit. He planned to write a letter to Lahar under the alias of "Nexus" after returning to explain, believing he would handle the matter well.
Because of the battle last night, Nab hadn't rested well, so he fell asleep in the carriage.
Nab's injuries were all superficial. With ointment made from Winter Snow Grass, they would heal completely within three days. Unfortunately, the yield of this magical herb was not high, otherwise, it could replace half the functions of a Healing Mage.
As he was thinking, Noah suddenly felt something moving in the package the villagers had given him.
Curiously inspecting it, Noah located a package containing dried meat and immediately opened it.
It was a small cat, resembling a snow leopard, sleeping soundly. It was tightly hugging a white hamster, with half-eaten dried meat by its mouth.
When the hamster saw Noah discover it, it immediately closed its eyes, flattening itself like a pancake on the kitten, pretending to be dead.
Noah smiled slightly. An Exceed cat and a Magic mouse, truly an interesting combination.