Chapter 450: Traces of Other Wizards

In Helag’s earlier introduction, he claimed to be an exorcist from a remote region, unfamiliar with many things and only skilled in combat.

Thus, Aed wasn’t surprised that Helag didn’t recognize the concept of demon armament, so he explained it.

Aed felt genuinely guilty. In his view, it was Helag who had done most of the work in defeating the black gorilla.

By all rights, Helag should have absorbed all the demonic aura, yet Aed had taken half.

To make matters worse, the black gorilla had transformed into a demon armament and chosen Aed as its master.

This only deepened Aed’s sense of indebtedness to Helag, feeling he owed him far too much.

Helag, however, didn’t care much about the armor. He already had the Titan Armor, so the demon armament wasn’t particularly useful to him.

He was simply curious, as it was the first time he had seen a demon turn into armor after being killed.

Helag increasingly suspected that Aed might be a “chosen one” of this plane. Even if he wasn’t, he was certainly favored by the world’s will.

Helag thought about it for a moment. If he hadn’t been there, Andal would have still encountered danger, and Aed would have come to investigate.

Eventually, Aed would have faced the black gorilla, and though it would have been a tough battle, his black sword, which countered the gorilla’s natural armor, would have ensured his victory.

In the end, Aed would have still obtained the demon armament.

Helag’s presence merely made the process smoother, but the outcome would have been the same.

In fact, without Helag, Aed might have absorbed all the demonic aura and become even stronger.

In the past, Helag wouldn’t have thought about such things.

But after encountering rule power, the world’s will, and learning about the existence of chosen ones, he couldn’t help but consider these possibilities.

It seemed likely that Aed was favored by the world’s will, and his future would likely be bright.

Helag glanced at Aed but didn’t say much. Instead, he smiled and said, “It’s fine. That armor isn’t of much use to me. Why don’t you try using the demon armament? Let me see it.”

Aed nodded and, with a thought, summoned the black armor onto his body.

The armor wasn’t a full suit; it only covered vital areas and didn’t include a helmet.

Still, it was an excellent fit for Aed, especially given his high-risk combat style. The armor would greatly enhance his safety.

Helag nodded approvingly. “It suits you well.”

He didn’t need to say much more. Aed, being someone favored by the world’s will, would have his path laid out for him. There was no need for Helag to interfere.

Though Helag hadn’t officially taken Aed as a disciple, he regarded him as a half-disciple and naturally hoped for his success.

Helag tapped the armor with his finger, noting that its defensive strength wasn’t as high as the black gorilla’s natural armor.

He assumed this was due to Aed’s current strength. As Aed grew stronger, the armor’s durability would likely increase as well.

Suddenly, Aed asked, “What about Uncle Andal?”

Helag glanced toward the other side of the hill and said, “He’s probably over there.”

In truth, Helag had already detected Andal’s remains using environmental scanning—only his head was left.

After crossing the hill, they found Andal’s remains. Aed silently dug a grave and buried him.

According to Leaf Town’s customs, those who died tragically outside the town couldn’t be brought back for burial. They had to be buried where they were found, with the location marked for future memorials.

Once Aed finished burying Andal, Helag said, “Now that this is resolved, it’s time for me to leave. You should head back.”

“Master…” Aed knew he couldn’t stop him.

Helag smiled. “Keep working hard. The next time I see you, you’ll be much stronger.”

Aed nodded, his resolve to grow stronger even more intense.

He believed that if he became strong enough, tragedies like Andal’s death wouldn’t happen again, and the town would be safer.

Helag set off along the road toward Greenfield City, sensing that Aed was watching him from behind.

It wasn’t until Helag crossed a hill that Aed finally turned back.

Helag hadn’t tried to persuade Aed to leave Leaf Town. There was no need.

Someone like Aed would eventually leave on his own. There was no need for Helag to interfere.

As Helag walked, he reflected on the recent events.

The black gorilla wasn’t the main issue, nor was the demon armament.

What caught Helag’s attention was the burn mark on the gorilla’s back, which looked like it had been scorched by a fireball spell.

If it had just been the burn, it wouldn’t have been conclusive, as exorcists in this world also had abilities similar to fireball spells.

What concerned Helag was the lingering magic aura he sensed from the wound.

Since he didn’t know enough about this world yet, Helag couldn’t be sure if magic existed here.

If it didn’t, then the black gorilla was likely injured by a wizard’s spell.

The gorilla had probably fled from elsewhere after being wounded, taking control of a wolf pack to serve it, which eventually led to Andal’s attack.

Andal had traveled this road for years without encountering the gorilla or the wolves.

Helag reviewed the map Deep Blue had drawn in his mind. The gorilla’s location wasn’t far from the Gravel Desert.

This suggested that the gorilla had likely encountered a wizard participating in Operation Cradle.

As for which wizard it was, or how many there were, Helag didn’t know.

To Helag, the wizards participating in Operation Cradle weren’t allies.

Most of them knew that he had successfully seized control of World X-617, and the World Scepter was in his possession.

Even though they were now in an unknown plane, that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be opportunities to return.

For those wizards, if they had the chance, they would undoubtedly try to take the World Scepter from him.

The scepter was a huge temptation. If they could return to the wizard plane with it, it would be a great achievement.

Realizing this, Helag understood that his enemies weren’t limited to Medel and his group. Every other wizard was a potential threat.

As night fell, Helag found a secluded spot and took out the third-tier magical tool, Fallen Wing.

He drew a line on a nearby tree with Fallen Wing, and a crack appeared.

With a thought, Helag stepped inside.

The interior of Fallen Wing resembled a luxurious suite on an airship. It was spacious for one person and lavishly furnished, with all the necessary amenities.