I know I saw someone. How could they vanish so fast?
Alistair activated his [Hunt] ability. He could see numerous "traces," but he couldn't pinpoint the girl's specific trail. However, anyone who gave him that kind of feeling had to be special. He filtered for "Magical Traces."
Mana residue? Someone just used a spell here. That girl in red... she's definitely not human. What is it with this countryside? It's crawling with high-level players.
Rustle.
On a rooftop nearby, a small whirlwind dissipated to reveal a girl in a large red cloak. Beneath her hood, her features were exquisite. She gripped a gnarled wooden staff humming with life-force.
"What a strange human. Can he see me?"
She pulled back her hood, revealing cherry-red hair and long, pointed ears. She was an Elf.
"To see through my cloaking magic... could he be the Savior from the prophecy?" she whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "No, he's only at 50% awakening. Humans live so briefly; he'd need far more power to save us."
She shook her head. As a High Priestess, her decisions affected the survival of her entire race, especially now during their darkest hour. She couldn't afford to be reckless.
Alistair felt a shiver. "I feel like I'm being watched. Is it a delusion?" He looked around the bustling crowd, smoothed his brow, and began walking back toward the inn, maintaining a natural pace.
He knew the world of Transcendents was now divided into "Classes."
Warriors, like Uncle Takai, used mana to temper their physical bodies. They were tanks—hard to kill and devastating at close range. Even without active magic, their physical stats were high enough to crush a normal human like a bug.
Mages had weaker bodies but specialized in versatility, long-range control, and various escapes. They were the most "annoying" to fight.
Then there were Sorcerers—creatures born with innate magic or those blessed by "Fantasy Species," like Dragon-blood Sorcerers. They didn't need to chant; they could cast spells instantly. The trade-off was mana consumption—a Sorcerer used 1.5 times more mana than a Mage for the same spell, and for high-level "Forbidden Spells," the cost could be triple. They were the definition of "glass cannons" with infinite fire-rate but limited ammo.
Fantasy Species (Elves, Dragons, etc.) were the ultimate hybrids. They were natural Sorcerers but could also learn to chant like Mages to reduce consumption. They had massive mana pools and long lifespans. Their only fatal flaw? Laziness. Because they lived for millennia, they had no concept of urgency or time.
Alistair realized he was outclassed if he ran into a hostile Transcendent right now. Without the Dragon Talisman, he was just a talented amateur. He needed to get back and consult Takai.