Robin frowned, clearly disturbed by the scene before him. He turned to his companions. "It looks like something terrible has happened here. We must remain vigilant."
Arya nodded, her staff gleaming faintly, as if ready to unleash powerful magic at any moment. "Something's not right here," she murmured. "We should quickly gather the information we need and leave as soon as possible."
Thomas had already begun rummaging through the scattered books. "This information could be of great help to us!" he said eagerly, but the tattered pages in his hand didn't offer much useful information.
Just then, light footsteps and a conversation between several people came from outside the door:
"I'm telling you the truth, I just saw those young people, and they all had signs of fighting on them." A man dressed in civilian clothes was discussing something in hushed tones.
Another woman exclaimed in amazement, "My God, they actually managed to defeat such a terrifying monster! It's incredible!"
Hearing these comments, Rex couldn't help but grin. "Haha, it sounds like we've become celebrities now."
Suddenly, a cold wind swept through the hall, and the air in the entire library became even heavier. Several dark figures seemed to emerge silently from the shadows, quickly surrounding the four protagonists before anyone could react.
"What's going on?" Arya asked alertly, raising her staff.
At that moment, one of the shadow creatures spoke in a hoarse and chilling voice: "Do you think you can easily acquire the knowledge you need? This comes at a price."
Thomas immediately realized the problem. "We have to find a way to expose their weaknesses!" he said, hurriedly browsing through the surrounding documents for any useful information.
“Good idea,” Robin nodded approvingly, then turned to his companions and gave them orders, “Adjust the formation according to the previous training, and try not to be separated by too much distance.”
Thus began a fierce yet silent battle fought with the four working in close coordination. Whenever the shadow creatures attempted a sneak attack, someone would immediately detect and defend against it; and when the enemy's offensive weakened, it was the perfect opportunity for a counterattack. Despite this, the battle was incredibly difficult—because no matter how they attacked, these bizarre enemies seemed to regroup and recover completely unscathed!
At this critical moment, an old man slowly appeared at the entrance of a passage not far away; he was the wise man who had guided them before. "Children, you have done very well... but remember to use the right method to solve the problem."
Upon hearing this, Robin and the others suddenly understood. "You mean..."
Before he could finish speaking, the old man lightly waved his staff, releasing a pure white light that enveloped the entire library. What was originally fierce was now purified by the holy light and became harmless...
After all the darkness had completely dissipated, the old man gently bid farewell, saying, "The journey ahead will be even more arduous. Please continue to be strong until you find the true answer in your heart."
Watching the figure gradually fade into the distance, Arya softly asked, "Can we really find the answer to all these problems?"
Robin responded firmly: "Of course, as long as we are united, no problem can stop us from moving forward."
However, no one noticed that a pair of cold, ruthless eyes hidden in the corner were gradually moving away from the spot, plotting an even more sinister plan... The story has only just begun...
After the sage's white light disappeared, the library returned to its usual tranquility, though some indescribable energy fluctuations seemed to linger in the air. Robin and the other three huddled together, panting, their eyes filled with both relief and worry about the uncertainty of the future.
“How did that old man do it?” Arya murmured, her gaze sweeping over the remaining shadow creatures that no longer posed a threat to them. “It feels like a miracle.”
“Who knows,” Rex interjected, trying to lighten the mood. “Maybe this old man used to be quite famous, but he’s just retired now.”
Thomas didn't participate in the discussion, remaining focused on sifting through the pile of books for valuable information. "Have you noticed? Since those things disappeared, the books here seem easier to read than before..."
Meanwhile, not far away, two assistants who were sweeping dust were also startled by what had happened. "Wow, wasn't that the legendary great magician?" one of the girls in a gray robe exclaimed excitedly. "They were so cool! Especially the moment they used magic!"
Her friend next to her nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, I've also heard that a lot of experts have come to town recently to solve the monster problem, but I never expected to see it with my own eyes today. We are so lucky to be able to work here."
Back with the main characters, after ensuring their safety, Robin suggested they rest and regroup before making any further plans. "Let's calm down first, then discuss our next move," he said calmly and confidently, giving off a reassuring feeling.
Arya nodded in agreement and sat down on the nearest bench. Suddenly, she noticed a small, half-open booklet on the nearby bookshelf emitting a subtle glow. "Wait!" she exclaimed in surprise, "Perhaps this is one of the things we're looking for!"
As everyone gathered around to look curiously, another strange sound rang out from the other end of the library—this time it wasn't a threat, but a slightly anxious yet youthful voice:
"Is anyone inside? May I come in?" The door was pushed open, and a girl who looked about fifteen or sixteen years old entered, carrying a large bag and several bundles that were clearly the kind of things travelers would use. "Oh my god, are you all alright? I've heard it's dangerous here, but I still wanted to come in and take a look..." The girl said, looking around with great curiosity and enthusiasm.
"Who are you? How did you know we would be here?" Robin asked warily, facing this unexpected visitor.
The girl blinked, seemingly realizing she might have been a bit presumptuous. "I'm sorry to bother you! I'm Liya, a student from a village in the east. I'm particularly interested in ancient writing. I heard there are precious artifacts here, so I couldn't resist coming to explore... uh, I mean, to ask for help. I hope some heroes can protect me and help me find the lost treasures of knowledge."
Upon hearing this, Rex laughed heartily and slapped his forehead. "So that's how it is. Alright, since that's the case, then join our team. Having one more person is always a good thing."
Just as everyone was preparing to continue their in-depth investigation, Thomas suddenly stopped what he was doing, his expression grave: "This is bad... I've discovered some information about the force that's been secretly watching us..."
Upon hearing this, everyone's expression tensed. They all knew that the challenge ahead would be far greater than any battle they had faced before. But they did not despair or give up hope, for a shared determination and courage to fight the darkness had been planted in each other's hearts.
In this tense atmosphere, Thomas turned to the first page of the document…
The story ends abruptly here, leaving much to the imagination. It not only foreshadows an even more intricate adventure but also introduces a new character—the mysterious girl Lia—who brings fresh energy to the team. Readers will undoubtedly be captivated by this suspense and eagerly anticipate more exciting chapters to come.
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