Crowned by Magic: Sorceresses Seek His Favor(LitRPG)

6: Golden Talent!

Eirik's rejection of Pixie, the young student, was not without reason—he had confidence. Though their investigation had reached an impasse, he could sense a breakthrough was close at hand.

He remembered clearly that in the first cycle, there had been a renowned genius at the academy, a druid named Mask. According to the timeline, Mask would disappear the following day.

If he kept close to Mask, there was no doubt he'd uncover something—or perhaps even witness the mastermind in action. Even if he died in the process, it didn't matter—he could always restart the game.

[On this day, you silently followed Mask. He seemed to sense your presence, but perhaps because of your weak aura, he dismissed you and continued his path toward the desolate outskirts beyond the city.]

[In the wilderness, a figure cloaked in black appeared, their face hidden beneath a misty veil. After exchanging a few words with Mask, the figure struck him down.]

[Frozen in terror, you watched from the shadows as the cloaked man performed a strange and twisted ritual, draining every drop of blood from Mask's body, leaving nothing but a withered husk. The blood coalesced into a grotesque orb, and the figure vanished into the night.]

How did I manage to stay undetected?

Eirik reasoned it must have been because he lacked any elemental power. Staying completely still, he had likely gone unnoticed.

[After the black-clad figure departed, you cautiously approached the corpse of Mask. But just as you drew near, something horrifying occurred.]

[The corpse of Mask suddenly stirred, sitting upright and grabbing your throat with cold, lifeless fingers. Struggling in vain, you felt the icy grip tightening, but just as death loomed, Mask's eyes slowly opened, regaining some clarity.]

"Hahaha! Who would have thought... that I, the great druid, would meet such a fate!"

[Mask's voice echoed, filled with bitterness and despair, as he laughed maniacally.]

It turned out that though Mask had been drained of blood, a powerful artifact hidden within him allowed him to cling to life, albeit barely. Knowing his end was near, he pulled a small, unassuming gray orb from his robes and handed it to you, urging you to grow stronger and avenge him.

[The one who killed me... his name is Reginald Ashford...]

Reginald Ashford?! The figure in black was Reginald Ashford?

Eirik's heart raced. He recognized the name. This was the Duke of Dawnstar, the infamous Crimson Frost Duke.

So, the cursed demon tree was the work of Duke Ashford's estate? No wonder the academy had remained silent about the disappearances. Were they too afraid to act—or simply too unwilling to do so?

[Congratulations, you have obtained the Ancient Arcane Fruit...]

Eirik almost dismissed the notification, but then something caught his attention—the item name was highlighted in gold. In this game, anything marked in gold was bound to be exceptional!

He eagerly checked the details of the item.

[Arcane Fruit: Grown from the mysterious trees of the demon realm, it blooms and bears fruit once every thirty thousand years. Consuming it grants unique effects depending on the individual.]

"Damn! Just reading the description, this could be a game-changer!"

Mask, it seemed, had been a professional treasure-distributor NPC!