Adventurer of Many Professions

Beneath the velvet expanse of the night sky, two luminous moons hung like celestial lanterns, one glowing with a pristine white radiance, the other an ethereal green. Their combined light spilled over the dense forest, casting long, shifting shadows and bathing the trees in an otherworldly glow. Amid this enchanting scene, a mound loomed in an open clearing, stark and foreboding. Rising nearly two meters, it stood solitary in the moonlight, its presence amplified by the strange absence of vegetation within twenty meters. No trees, no shrubs, just a barren circle of weeds, as if the forest itself dared not intrude upon this ominous hive.

The mound pulsed faintly under the dual moonlight, alive yet eerily still. By day, it was fiercely guarded by three stinger wasps, their venomous stingers and razor-sharp mandibles a deterrent to any would-be intruder. But now, as night blanketed the forest, the guardians had retreated to the hive's entrance, their sharp instincts dulled by the darkness. They perched silently, wings folded, resting but still watchful.

A fleeting cloud passed across the moons, cloaking the forest in shadows. In that moment of near-total darkness, subtle movements stirred in the woods, shapes darting between trees, shadows slipping closer to the hive. The barest rustle of leaves betrayed their approach, though nothing visible lingered long enough to be seen. When the clouds moved on and the moonlight returned, the woods fell silent again. It was as if the forest had dreamed the motion.

But the movements were no dream. Raymond and his companions were there, inching closer under the veil of darkness. Hidden behind the massive trunk of an ancient oak, Raymond peered out cautiously. His sharp eyes scanned the mound, watching for any reaction from the resting wasps. Seeing none, he exhaled slowly, the tension in his shoulders easing; just slightly. Behind him, Sylph shifted, leaning forward to get a better look. Before she could move too far, Raymond's hand shot out, pressing her back into the shadows.

"Stay down," he whispered sharply, his tone firm but quiet.

Sylph scowled, her green-tinged face scrunching in irritation. She didn't say a word but glared daggers at Raymond's back. Her expression, though, was comical, made even more so by her unusual appearance. The pale green hue that stained her skin wasn't natural, it was the juice of crushed leaves Raymond had smeared on her, supposedly to mask their scent. Even her magic robe, wand, and pointed hat bore streaks of the earthy pigment. Lorene, who crouched just behind Sylph, looked equally absurd. The two women had protested fiercely when Raymond first suggested the idea.

"It's ridiculous!" Sylph had hissed. "You expect us to, what? Paint ourselves with 'plant juice' like forest barbarians?"

Raymond had sighed, his patience thinning. "The stinger wasps have an acute sense of smell. If we don't mask our scent, they'll detect us long before we get close."

After much grumbling and a few reluctant glances at the wasps, the two had begrudgingly agreed. Even now, Sylph muttered under her breath, glaring at the green stains on her hands.

Raymond turned back to them, his voice low but steady. "Is this close enough?"

The three of them crouched about fifty meters from the hive, a distance Raymond hoped was within range for Sylph's explosive magic.

"How would I know?" Sylph shot back, her voice barely above a whisper, her lips pursed in mock defiance. "You wouldn't even let me check properly."

Raymond suppressed a groan. He waved a hand, signaling her to look again. Sylph smirked, clearly pleased to have the upper hand for once, but didn't waste time. She cautiously leaned out, her green-streaked hat tilting slightly as she surveyed the mound. A moment later, she ducked back.

"It should be fine," she said, her voice softened with focus.

Raymond gave a curt nod. "Good. Let's get ready."

The three of them exchanged brief glances, a silent understanding passing between them. Sylph and Lorene gripped their wands tightly, their fingers trembling just slightly from the cold or perhaps from the tension. Raymond, meanwhile, reached into the pouch at his side and pulled out a small wooden box. He flipped it open to reveal three white stones, their surfaces glimmering faintly in the moonlight. Baihao Stones, the key to their plan.

Raymond glanced up, watching as another cloud drifted lazily across the moons, dimming the forest once more. This was the moment they had been waiting for.

"Now," he breathed.

In a single, fluid motion, Raymond scooped the stones into his hand and dashed out from behind the tree. The soft thud of his boots on the forest floor was the only sound as he sprinted toward the hive, his silhouette barely visible in the darkness.

"Under the flowing flames…" Sylph's voice rose softly behind him, carrying the cadence of a practiced spell. She stepped into the open, her wand raised high, its tip glowing faintly as she chanted.

The disturbance didn't go unnoticed. The resting wasps snapped to attention, their compound eyes reflecting the faint light. With a sudden, violent buzz, they shot into the air, their wings vibrating in an ominous, rapid hum. They darted toward Sylph, their sharp mandibles clicking in warning.

"Here they come!" Lorene whispered urgently, her knuckles white as she gripped her wand tighter.

Raymond didn't look back. His focus was singular, his feet carrying him closer to the hive as he clutched the stones tightly. The plan had begun, but whether it would succeed or fail depended entirely on the seconds to come.

In the thick darkness of the forest, a faint white glow bobbed and weaved between the trees. The stinger wasps, sharp-eyed even in low light, spotted the light immediately. Their instincts sharpened, they prepared to strike.

But just as they were about to launch their attack, the single beam of white light split into three. One darted left, another veered right, while the last continued rushing straight toward them, zigzagging through the woods.

For a brief moment, the three stinger wasps hesitated, their rhythmic buzzing breaking into a discordant hum. They circled swiftly in the air, as though communicating with one another, then made a decision. All three simultaneously broke formation, choosing a single beam of light to pursue.

Raymond grinned from the shadows, watching the wasps take the bait. "Hook, line, and sinker," he whispered to himself, adrenaline rushing through his veins. He knew their goal: distract the wasps and buy Sylph the precious time she needed to complete her spell.

But he also knew how fast the wasps were, faster than an arrow loosed from a bow. In the blink of an eye, the nearest wasp closed the distance, flying straight into the illuminated range of the white stone Raymond had thrown. Its buzzing took on a deeper, more menacing tone as it caught sight of something else: Sylph and Lorene crouching behind the light, the beginnings of a glowing magic circle forming beneath them.

The wasp instinctively twitched its tail, aiming to fire its venomous stinger at the two magic users. But before it could act, Raymond made his move. He was already there, surging forward from the shadows like a coiled spring unleashed. His long sword gleamed faintly in the white glow, cutting an arc through the air.

The wasp tried to rise, its wings frantically vibrating, but it was too late. Raymond's blade found its mark.

'Swish!'

In a single, fluid strike, the wasp's body split cleanly in two, its wings falling lifelessly to the ground. Raymond stepped back, his chest heaving, and glanced toward Sylph.

"Now's your chance!" he called out.

Sylph didn't answer, her face rigid with concentration as she raised her wand high. The magic circle beneath her feet glowed brighter, the symbols inscribed within it pulsating with energy. Her voice, steady and resolute, rose above the quiet forest.

"...Exploding Fireball!"

A searing red light erupted from her wand, a flaming sphere of intense heat and energy, roaring as it tore through the air. The fireball streaked across the night like a falling meteor, its path burning bright against the dark canopy above.

At that moment, more stinger wasps began crawling out of the hive, alerted by the commotion. They barely had time to react. As the first of them unfurled its wings to take flight, the blazing fireball slammed directly into the hive's entrance.

'BOOM!'

The explosion shattered the night. A blinding flash of fire engulfed the mound, followed by a deafening shockwave that ripped through the clearing. Flames erupted skyward, illuminating the forest in flickering red-orange hues. Dirt and debris flew in every direction, while the ground shook with the force of the blast.

Raymond shielded his face, feeling the heat scorch the air around him. When the fire subsided, he lowered his arm to take in the scene. The once-formidable hive was gone. In its place was a massive crater, more than five meters wide, its edges scorched black. The remains of the wasps that had been at the entrance lay scattered, shattered, torn apart, or simply vaporized. What little was left of the hive itself had collapsed inward, leaving only smoldering ruins.

Raymond allowed himself a shaky exhale. "It worked," he muttered, the relief almost dizzying. "We did it."

Behind him, Lorene's voice rang out. "Sylph! Are you okay?" Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire

Raymond spun around to see Sylph collapsed on the ground, her face pale and her body trembling from exhaustion. Lorene was already at her side, frantically rummaging through her pack. She pulled out a small glass vial of shimmering blue liquid, the 'Magic Recovery Potion'. "Hold on, Sylph! I'll get you back on your feet."

But before Lorene could administer the potion, a familiar and ominous sound reached their ears.

'Buzz! Buzz!'

The unmistakable droning of stinger wasps cut through the night, louder and angrier than before. Raymond turned toward the source, his heart sinking. Two wasps, the ones distracted by the decoy lights earlier, were now barreling toward them. Their buzzing was a cacophony of rage, their speed unmatched, and their intent clear. They had seen the destruction of their hive, and they were out for blood.

"Look out!" Raymond shouted, gripping his sword and dashing toward the women. But even as fast as he was, he knew he wouldn't make it in time.

Lorene froze, the potion trembling in her hand as the wasps closed in. For a split second, she panicked, her mind blank. Then, as if on instinct, she threw herself over Sylph, shielding her friend with her own body. "No!" she cried, her eyes squeezed shut, bracing for the inevitable.

Raymond's thoughts raced. He couldn't let this happen. There was no time to hesitate. With grim determination, he reached into his mental arsenal, pulling up the panel that displayed his skills. His finger hovered for a fraction of a second before slamming down on the glowing "+" symbol beside 'Taunt'.

Three skill points evaporated instantly.

"Come at me!" Raymond bellowed, his voice echoing with an unnatural force. The skill activated, its effects rippling outward like an invisible pulse. The wasps veered sharply mid-flight, their glowing compound eyes locking onto Raymond. Their fury shifted, directed entirely at him.

"Let's dance," Raymond growled, gripping his sword tighter and bracing for the fight of his life.