Chapter 120: Hehe, Its Finally About Time

'Bait? what's that?' Just as such thought appeared in his mind, suddenly, a huge bear shadow leaped out from the underbrush, landing squarely on top of Ram and holding him down with an iron grip.

Then its laughter boomed through the clearing. "Haha, bastard, we finally caught you! I would like to see how you can escape now!"

"What the hell?! Get off me!" Ram yelled, struggling beneath the weight of Sid's transformed bear form. "I'm sorry, guys! Let me go; I'll explain everything!"

He knew his friends were likely upset, but this was not the way he envisioned them venting their frustration.

"Stop squirming!" Sid growled, tightening his hold. "You're lucky I don't just throw you into the river. We're tired of your secrets!"

Ignoring Ram's protests, Sid glanced over at Liam, who was already rummaging through his pack. "Tie him up. We'll let Mai decide what to do. Also, stuff something in his mouth."

"Sorry, bro, but it's your fault for worrying us this whole time," Liam said with a smirk, pulling out some rope to bind Ram's hands and legs.

Su Mu rushed forward, her eyes flashing with concern. "Wait! You can't just—" She tried to stop them, but after knowing that it was under Mai's order she hesitated.

"Come on, guys! This isn't neces...." Ram struggled, but it was no use. They swiftly tied him up, effectively rendering him unable to move.

They stuffed a cloth in his mouth to silence his protests, muffling his words into an incoherent jumble. -exclusive

"You know this isn't fair!" he managed to mumble through the cloth, but he was met with grins and chuckles from his friends as they hoisted him up and carried him toward where Mai was working on her robots.

Liam chuckled, "Fair? You've been hiding things from us! This is just a little payback!" Once they reached Mai's new workshop, Ram was unceremoniously dropped onto the ground.

Mai looked up from her work, eyebrows raised in surprise at the sight before her. "What's going on?" she asked, wiping her hands on a cloth as she approached them.

"Just teaching him a lesson," Sid replied with a smug grin.

Ram shot him a glare, feeling both embarrassed and frustrated as he continued to mumble, trying to say. "Guys, seriously! I didn't mean to worry you—"

Liam pressed his finger to his mouth, shushing him. "Let Mai decide. You can explain after that."

"Wait, untie him! Let him explain first," Mai said, her voice cutting through the tension in the air.

She stood with her arms crossed, a blend of amusement and annoyance flickering across her face as she surveyed the scene.

Sid and Liam exchanged glances, surprised by her command. "But he's the one who worried us!" Liam protested, crossing his arms as he glanced at Ram, still lying helplessly on the ground.

"I know, but he clearly has something important to say," Mai replied, her tone firm. "And I want to hear it before you two can decide what to do with him."

Reluctantly, Sid released his hold on Ram, and Liam loosened the rope binding his hands, though they kept a wary eye on him.

Ram immediately set to work freeing himself from the cloth stuffed in his mouth.

Just as he was about to speak, Korrin appeared from outside, his expression filled with urgency as he spoke. "Master, it's done."

Ram's face lit up, a wide grin spreading across his features. "Hehe, it's finally time!" he exclaimed, laughter bubbling from him as he sat up, momentarily forgetting the awkwardness of his situation.

His staff, glowing with faint traces of fire magic, was held firmly in his hands.

Without hesitation, he began chanting a strange, guttural incantation, his voice low but resonant, sending ripples of spiritual power through the clearing.

Ram watched from the side, his eyes narrowing as he observed the unfolding ritual.

According to the Evil Spirit, this was the necessary spell to summon the attention of the Divine Spirit Tree—the key to triggering the Lord's Trial.

But even as the ritual progressed, a lingering doubt gnawed at him. Was this really what he expected it to be? Or had the Evil Spirit tricked him into something far more dangerous?

The glowing runes on the altar pulsated with increasing intensity, their eerie light casting flickering shadows across the clearing.

Sid, Liam, and Mai stood a few paces behind, their expressions a mixture of suspicion and curiosity.

Even Su Mu, usually calm and composed, seemed unsettled by the ominous energy radiating from the altar.

While Korrin continued to chant, Ram's gaze subtly shifted toward Su Mu, to make sure there weren't any unusual changes in her.

Meanwhile, Korrin's chanting grew louder, his voice now echoing off the trees as the air around them thickened with spiritual power.

The blood pool beneath him began to bubble, as though something powerful was stirring beneath its surface.

Ram swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on him. He wasn't sure if he had made the right decision, but there was no turning back now.

The ritual was already in motion, and whatever was coming—whether it was the Divine Spirit Tree or something else—would soon reveal itself.

Even Mai who was an Apprentice Arcane Mage, didn't understand what was happening, she had a sharp look towards Ram. "This better not blow up in our faces, Ram."

The ground beneath them trembled, sending a ripple through the blood pool as the runes on the altar flared to life with an intense light.

Bubbles of blood began to rise from the altar, drifting into the air as though carried by an unseen force.

They swirled together, slowly taking shape, until they formed a large, ominous eye suspended above the altar.

The eye glowed with a bright red light, its gaze fixed on the altar. As soon as the blood-eye was fully formed, Korrin stopped chanting.

He turned his head towards Ram and, with a subtle nod, spoke through their mental connection, his voice calm but charged with anticipation. "Master, it's ready. I can feel the trial space summoning us."

Hearing those words, Ram felt a wave of relief wash over him. He exhaled deeply, as though a massive weight had just been lifted off his shoulders.

For the first time since the ritual began, he allowed himself a moment of calm. His fears of being tricked by the Evil Spirit began to fade, though not entirely.

The ritual had worked—at least so far—and the Lord's Trial was within their reach.

Ram nodded in response to Korrin, acknowledging. "Good," he muttered softly, though a part of him remained cautious.

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