Chapter 618 Dirk's Patience
As soon as Lawrence and his crew vanished, Kenneth popped up next to Ethan and Patricia. Patricia quickly greeted Kenneth, knowing just how powerful he was. Even though he was technically Ethan's follower, he was definitely not someone to ignore!
"Didn't think you'd show up so fast!" Ethan grinned at Patricia.
"I told you yesterday I'd be here tonight to help out. Since we took your sacred wood, it's only fair we return the favor!" Patricia smiled back.
"Finally, those annoying guys are gone. They were such a pain to look at!" A charming voice suddenly chimed in, and a graceful figure appeared in front of them. It was Deborah, the youngest of the nine leaders of the Ladies Guild.
"Deborah's here too?" Ethan raised an eyebrow. He had already sensed her nearby when Patricia showed up, but since she didn't want to reveal herself, he didn't call her out. Now that Lawrence and his group were gone, she finally decided to show up.
"I told you to stay with the Ladies Guild, but you just had to come!" Patricia looked at Deborah, clearly exasperated.
"How could I miss out on all the fun? Plus, an extra hand never hurts, right?" Deborah shrugged nonchalantly.
"Honestly, you two didn't need to come. The ML Guild has already set up Trap Circles and Murder Circles. Why take the risk?" Ethan reminded them.
"Do you think the Ladies Guild is full of cowards? If you weren't a decent guy, we wouldn't have bothered!" Deborah huffed.
"We know the risks of Vast Mountain, Mr. Wilson. No need to lecture us. We're here to repay the favor, plain and simple." Patricia smiled.
"Alright, thanks for the help. We should get moving; more people are heading this way, and I don't want to be roped into another team-up!" Ethan reminded them.
The four of them quickly vanished, heading towards Vast Mountain. Soon after, several master-level experts showed up where they had been, looking puzzled as they stared in the direction Ethan and his group had gone, then quickly followed.
Not long after, the four of them found themselves in a dense forest on the side of Vast Mountain. Once they were sure no master-level experts were around, Deborah turned to the group. "Finally ditched those clingy guys. Let's find a quieter spot to watch the show."
"It's already dark, and we've got five hours until the full moon. When are we heading up the mountain?" Patricia asked Ethan.
"No rush, let's chill here for a bit. Kenneth, keep an eye on what's happening on Vast Mountain. Let us know if anything goes down, and make sure you don't get spotted!" Ethan plopped down on a gentle slope and gave Kenneth some instructions.
"Don't sweat it, Mr. Wilson. Even if there are experts above master level around, they probably won't even know I'm here!" Kenneth chuckled and then vanished from sight.
"How'd you get Kenneth to be your follower? I've never heard of someone like him before." Patricia asked, clearly curious.
"Maybe it's my irresistible charm," Ethan joked.
"If anyone else said that, I'd call BS. But coming from you, I might just believe it!" Patricia smiled and nodded, giving Ethan some credit.
"I was just kidding, and you totally fell for it!" Ethan laughed.
"Maybe it's not just talk. You really are different. Maybe that's what you call charisma!" Patricia said seriously.
"I second that. You're definitely not like those other guys. Not many men catch my eye!" Deborah chimed in.
"Should I be flattered then?" Ethan shrugged and grinned.
Meanwhile, deep within Vast Mountain, in the magma layer far below the surface, a small white wolf named Orla lay on a rock, growling softly and looking up.
"It's the master's aura again. No mistake this time!" Orla muttered and then dashed towards the surface through underground cracks. But just as it was about to burst out of a rock fissure, it stopped.
Orla sensed something off, realizing someone had set a trap to catch it. "No, now's not the time. I have to wait a bit longer!" A trace of reluctance crossed Orla's face, and it eventually turned back, hiding deep within the mountain.
On Vast Mountain, Dirk and Davide stood facing each other, while Alessandro led a bunch of ML Guild disciples guarding the mountain's base, ready to take down anyone who dared to approach.
If it weren't for the fact that master-level experts hadn't shown up yet, Alessandro and his crew might have already lost control of the mountain's base!
"Dirk, the master-level experts from various sects are probably gathered at the foot of the mountain by now. They won't be in the dark for long. Should we activate the Magic Circle early?" Davide asked Dirk.
"Has Ethan shown up?" Dirk squinted and asked calmly.
"No sign of him yet, but I'm sure he's nearby, waiting for the right moment!" Davide shook his head but sounded confident.
"Then wait until he shows up before activating the Magic Circle! You know how important that Sacred Wood he has is to me!" Dirk ordered firmly.
"Got it, but I'm worried he might wait until we're all worn out before making his move," Davide said, a bit concerned.