311

Sling Ring

The cowherd stood stunned for a moment, until his cow bellowed a few times, snapping him out of his daze. He hurried forward to calm the cow and thanked it, "Thank you, venerable."

Nierdi smiled and turned to leave.

Watching her depart, the cowherd stood still for a while, then led the cow Shishiran back to the village once she had vanished into the forest.

Upon returning, he was greeted with a shocking sight—a raging fire.

"Fire! Put out the fire!"

"It's spreading too fast!"

Most of the buildings in the village were wooden and adjacent to the forest, making them highly susceptible to fires.

By the time the villagers noticed, several houses, including the cowherd's own, were already ablaze.

Frantically, the cowherd's family worked to extinguish the flames, while he quickly secured the cattle and joined the effort.

Despite their efforts, the fire continued to spread, engulfing one house after another, with smoke billowing into the sky.

Not stopping to catch his breath, the cowherd grew increasingly desperate. Wiping sweat from his brow, he turned to the people around him, "Stay here, I'll find help!"

With that, he darted into the forest.

Deep within the woods, a log cabin stood by a stream. Outside, Kalulu nervously waved his hands, emitting sporadic bursts of golden-red light.

The glowing patterns ebbed and flowed, attempting to form a circle, only to falter and disperse at crucial moments.

There was an elusive balance within the process.

Nierdi observed quietly.

"Phew..."

After a while, Kalulu sighed in frustration, sitting down heavily and glancing at Nierdi, "How do you learn so quickly?"

"I don't know, I just pick things up," Nierdi shrugged.

Kalulu furrowed his brow, examining his trembling hands from frequent practice.

Staring at his hands for a moment, he mused, "I think perhaps I can design a magical artifact."

"A magical artifact?" Nierdi inquired.

Kalulu nodded, "One that aids in opening portals."

"Do you have any ideas?"

Shaking his head, Kalulu admitted, "Not yet. It was just a thought. But I have a feeling I can design such an artifact, and I'll explore that avenue in the future."

As they conversed, Nierdi took out the Book of Darkness from her pack and studied it intently.

Observing this, Kalulu frowned, "Nierdi, that sealed book clearly contains dark magic. We shouldn't meddle with it."

Nierdi disagreed, "Magic itself isn't inherently good or evil; it's the wielder who determines its use."

"No, my dear. Magic can be used for good or evil, just like..."

Suddenly, a faint cry echoed from a distance, "Help! Someone, save our village!"

Nierdi listened intently, then gestured with both hands, conjuring a portal and stepping through it, followed closely by the anxious cowherd.

Appearing in the village, the cowherd immediately knelt, "Kind Venerable, please save our village! Please!"

He repeated his plea several times in a typical, unimportant manner.

Ignoring the pleas, Nierdi scanned the distant sky, now smoky, and realized the situation, "Is your village on fire?"

"Yes, yes!" The cowherd nodded vigorously. "How did you know?"

"..." Nierdi remained silent, reopening the portal and stepping into the blazing village.

The cowherd hesitated briefly, then followed Nierdi through the portal and back into the village.

The fire had spread, becoming a forest fire with smoke and flames everywhere, the scent of burning thick in the air.

While some villagers battled the blaze, others fled, unaware of Nierdi's arrival.

Surveying the village consumed by flames, the cowherd grew increasingly desperate, kneeling once more, "Honored Sir, please save our village quickly!"

Nierdi's expression turned serious as she waved her hands, conjuring continuous circles of golden-red light expanding until they spanned several meters in diameter.

"Crash!"

As the large portal stabilized, a torrent of water cascaded forth, hovering in mid-air before dousing the most intense flames like a waterfall, spreading to extinguish the inferno.

Within moments, the ferocious blaze was quelled.

As more river water flowed through the portal, the fire receded rapidly, leaving behind a tranquil scene once the excess water dissipated.

One by one, the villagers approached Nierdi, bowing in gratitude and reverence.

"Thank you, Holy One! You are the kindest soul!"

"Surely, you are the incarnation of a deity!"

Nierdi regarded the kneeling villagers, "I reside nearby in the forest. Should you face any future troubles beyond your control, you may seek me out."

"May I ask your name, Venerable?" A cautious villager inquired.

After a moment's thought, Nierdi decided not to reveal her true name, "You may call me 'Ni'."

From then on, Nierdi employed her newfound magic to assist the neighboring villagers periodically, who came to regard her as both a deity and a benefactor.

Meanwhile, Kalulu continued practicing teleportation magic tirelessly, yet his progress paled in comparison to Nierdi's natural aptitude, remaining stagnant for years.

Until one fateful day.

Inside his cabin, Kalulu gripped a carving knife, painstakingly etching intricate patterns into a brass ring.

The ring possessed a unique design with dual apertures, evidently intended for two fingers.

After another round of carving, Kalulu examined the ring critically before slipping it onto his finger and attempting to cast a spell to open a portal.

The outcome disappointed him deeply. Despite wearing the ring, he failed to open the portal successfully, achieving no discernible improvement from previous attempts.

"How can this be..." Kalulu lamented, holding the brass ring forlornly.

Just then, Nierdi entered the cabin with two chickens in hand, smiling, "Let's feast tonight; a villager sent these over."

Uninterested in the chickens, Kalulu's gaze remained fixed on the brass ring. After a pause, he asked, "Could you take a look at the design flaw in my ring?"

Nierdi approached, took the ring from his hand, and scrutinized it closely for nearly half an hour.

"Well?" Kalulu inquired.

Wordlessly, Nierdi retrieved a carving knife and made two precise cuts on opposite sides of the brass ring, creating gaps.

"Try again." She returned the modified ring to Kalulu.

Doubtful but hopeful, Kalulu donned the ring and attempted to open a portal once more.

Waving his hands, a portal materialized before him, smooth and stable.