The dense aura of life carved out a small sanctuary within the filthy, decaying sewer, allowing Naomi to catch her breath.

With just a glance, Ambrose could tell the idol was imbued with at least three beneficial effects.

Health regeneration, poison immunity, freedom of movement... all of them were area-of-effect buffs. Ambrose looked on with considerable envy.

This was a divine artifact. Even in the hands of a mortal, it could unleash powerful effects. If sold, it would fetch at least a million gold coins.

However, a druidic artifact required periodic rituals to prevent its power from fading. If someone else were to take it, it would likely become inert within a few months.

But no matter how powerful the artifact was, Ambrose could not enjoy its benefits.

For an undead, the divine power of Silvanus was far more terrifying than the sewer's toxic fumes.

The sewer's environment merely made Ambrose uncomfortable; the green barrier of natural energy, however, would corrode his undead body like acid.

After all, the undead were a race that completely defied the natural order, making them mortal enemies of Silvanus.

"An idol of Silvanus. It can purify the sewer's toxins and should also have the power to break illusions. This is your trump card for saving your kinsmen, isn't it?" Ambrose asked.

Naomi took a few deep breaths to recover. "Yes," she answered. "I've been down here more than once, but by the time I returned to the spot where my people were ambushed, they were gone. Even with the protection of Silvanus's idol, I need your help to find them."

This druid girl truly seemed to harbor no ill intentions. In that case, Ambrose had no plans to break the contract, lest he give the City of Alchemy an excuse to seize his assets.

"Then let's keep moving. We'll head to the site of the ambush first," Ambrose said.

No matter the illusion, it would leave some trace. If he could figure out what was creating the illusion, finding the druids would be much simpler.

Naomi held the idol of Silvanus and led the way. With the artifact's blessing, the harsh sewer environment had almost no effect on her. To pick up the pace, Naomi used her Wild Shape ability, transforming into a sleek black panther. Gripping the idol in her jaws, she sprinted through the sewer tunnels. Ambrose had to cast Fly to keep up with her.

Before long, they arrived in a relatively open, flat area. It seemed to be some kind of buffer zone, with a large expanse of smooth stone flooring, though it was still surrounded by filthy channels of water. The stench here was even thicker than at the entrance.

But the place was unnervingly clean. Not only were there no druid corpses, but he could hardly even see a cockroach.

"I've been here several times, but nothing was ever left behind," Naomi told Ambrose.

Before Ambrose could begin his inspection, a multitude of crimson dots suddenly appeared in the surrounding darkness.

Before Naomi could even see what they were, the crimson dots swarmed toward her. The green light emanating from her was like a torch in the darkness, drawing them in.

Naomi was slow to react. On her previous two trips, she had encountered no danger at all. The power of Silvanus's idol had always repelled the sewer monsters. Why were they daring to charge her now?

Naomi may have hesitated, but Ambrose did not.

Two rays of frost shot from his palms, painting wide swaths of ice in front of Naomi. The fastest monsters were struck by the freezing rays and instantly frozen into ice sculptures.

Only then did Naomi get a clear look at the attacking creatures. They were a swarm of enormous rats, each the size of a large wolf. Their fur was covered in patches of mange and festering cysts. A single glance was enough to make one feel as if their eyes might be infected by some fatal disease.

Rays of frost flew from Ambrose's hands as if they cost him nothing, sweeping back and forth until every last one of the diseased rats was frozen solid. The immediate crisis was averted.

Naomi was stunned by Ambrose's power. Although Ray of Frost was the simplest of ice spells, wielding it with the speed of a repeating crossbow was something no ordinary mage could do.

Naomi instinctively moved a little closer to Ambrose, forcing him to take two steps back to remain outside the natural barrier.

"Careful," Ambrose warned sharply. "Are you trying to sacrifice me to Silvanus?"

Naomi flushed with embarrassment. A druid, instinctively seeking refuge behind an undead in a moment of danger. It was utterly ridiculous.

She quickly changed the subject. "What in the world are those things? I've never encountered them before."

Ambrose walked over to one of the frozen rat statues. A scalpel suddenly appeared in his hand, and he began to dismember the diseased rat. The bloody, brutal sight made Naomi instinctively look away.

Ambrose, however, was completely unfazed. This level of gore was child's play.

Fur, muscle, blood vessels, nerves, organs, bones... Ambrose separated the various pieces with surgical precision. After studying the creature's physical structure, he even extracted the mutated rat's soul for examination.

A short while later, Ambrose reached a conclusion. "I think I know what your kinsmen encountered."

"You know?" Naomi asked eagerly. "What kind of monster is it?"

Ambrose pointed to the mangled rat corpse. "This rat was magically altered. This kind of work... it's probably a hag."

"A hag?"

Naomi's expression was one of confusion.

"You've never even heard of a hag?" Ambrose asked. "Don't you druids scare your children with stories like 'behave, or a hag will get you'?"

Naomi gritted her teeth. "We druids would never do such a thing! Using horror stories to frighten children... that's something you undead would do, isn't it?"

"Don't be silly," Ambrose said. "The undead don't have children."

Naomi: ...

The sheltered druid girl was utterly speechless. Just moments ago, she had felt a flicker of admiration for Ambrose, thinking him powerful and reliable. Now, she found herself silently reciting the tenets of Silvanus—*the undead are truly all evil.*

"Alright, let's get back to the point," Ambrose said, explaining, "Hags were originally creatures of the Feywild, but they came to the Material Plane a long time ago. Terrifying legends of hags occasionally surface in the Nine Great Kingdoms. They are a coven of vile, hideous old crones, cruel by nature, and most are arrogant and prideful. Their greatest pleasure is tormenting mortals in various ways.

"Magically altering creatures to use as servants is a common tactic for hags. These rats were modified by a hag's magic, making them highly toxic and aggressive. They aren't particularly powerful monsters, though. An ordinary person could probably kill a few if they mustered the courage. But without an antidote, they would soon succumb to the poison. These things can spread disease even after they're dead."