[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-born-as-a-witch":3,"chapter-born-as-a-witch-born-as-a-witch-chapter-297":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Born as a Witch",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1702444,2172,"Chapter 297: Lost or not?","born-as-a-witch-chapter-297",297,"\u003Cp>The following morning, a strange, dense fog rolled across the jagged ridges. Not natural fog—this one shifted unnaturally, folding and twisting, forming shapes that disappeared when they looked directly at them. Lira tightened her cloak, her senses alert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is not ordinary,\" Thalanir whispered, stepping carefully over a silver-tinted root jutting from the ground. \"Magic is manipulating the terrain. It wants to confuse us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renkai growled softly, his tails twitching nervously. \"We’ve chased illusions before, but this... it’s like the land itself is alive and trying to push us away.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth hovered above, wings beating slowly, eyes scanning through the fog. \"I see movement... but I can’t distinguish between scout and shadow. Stay close.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The team moved cautiously, every step deliberate. Streams appeared where none should exist, their waters shimmering with strange colors that reflected not the sky but fragments of possible futures. Lira bent down, touching one of the streams. She felt the water vibrate with latent energy, warning her of illusions meant to mislead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a low roar echoed through the canyon. Shadows flitted along the rocks—figures of scouts, their forms stretching and melting into mist. Lira’s group paused, ready for an ambush. But as they advanced, the shadows dissipated—nothing remained but empty fog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They toy with us,\" Lira murmured. \"They want us to hesitate.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hours passed in careful observation and cautious steps. The terrain changed constantly: cliffs appeared where valleys had been, rocks shifted slightly underfoot, and distant noises mimicked voices—sometimes even laughter that sounded eerily like theirs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, just as the sun began to sink behind the jagged peaks, a faint glimmer caught Lira’s eye. A subtle pulse of dark magic—an aura she had learned to sense in her training—emanated from a cluster of rocks. \"There!\" she whispered, pointing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The team approached cautiously. Behind a wall of twisting roots and jagged stones, a hidden passage revealed itself, faintly glowing with runes. The magic was strong, yet controlled—not a trap, but a marker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thalanir knelt, brushing dust from the stones. \"These runes... I’ve seen similar symbols in ancient elven fortresses. They indicate a safe approach, but only for those who can sense elemental flows.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renkai’s ears twitched. \"So... someone wants us to find it? Or maybe it’s a test.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira placed a hand on the largest rune. \"I can feel it... the presence of something powerful beyond. This might be the first glimpse of the mastermind’s lair.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth landed beside her, lowering her massive wings. \"I’ll scout from above. If anything approaches, I’ll know before you do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With careful steps, the group entered the hidden passage. The air inside was cooler, tinged with metallic scent and faint traces of elemental energy—some dark, some twisted. Every step was measured, every sound echoed unnaturally, creating an atmosphere thick with tension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They followed the faint pulses of magic, leading them deeper underground into a network of caves hidden beneath the abandoned terrain. The shadows themselves seemed alive, whispering faintly to each other, shifting to block or reveal the path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then Lira sensed it—the mastermind’s presence. Faint, but unmistakable: a clever, calculated aura, layered with deception and power. Not fully revealed, but strong enough to make her heart quicken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We’re close,\" Lira whispered. \"Whatever waits here... we need to be ready.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renkai flexed his claws. \"I’ve been ready since we started this. Let’s move carefully. No mistakes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thalanir nodded, his hand lightly on the hilt of his blade. \"We must remain silent, coordinated. One misstep, and we alert them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth spread her wings slightly, her eyes scanning every corner. \"I’ll cover the rear and above. Nothing escapes me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they pressed forward, the passage opened into a wide cavern. At its center, faint golden runes pulsed on the floor, forming a circular pattern that seemed to breathe. Shadows moved at its edges—figures partially hidden, whispering in a language that sent shivers down their spines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They’re watching,\" Lira said softly. \"And they know we’re here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tense silence fell. Every step now carried the weight of potential combat, and every shadow could be a scout—or worse. Lira’s heart pounded, but her mind sharpened. This was the first real glimpse of the enemy’s stronghold, and every sense told her: the true confrontation was just ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cavern seemed alive, the golden runes pulsating like a heartbeat. Lira felt it deep in her chest—the raw, concentrated power of the mastermind resonating through the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stay alert,\" she whispered to the group. \"Something is going to happen soon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth’s wings bristled as she hovered above, eyes scanning the shadowed edges. Thalanir’s ears twitched, catching faint whispers in the darkness. Renkai crouched low, his tails flicking nervously. Even Fluffy, curled on Lira’s shoulder, twitched its ears, sensing the tension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, a ripple ran through the shadows. Figures began to emerge—scouts, but unlike any they had seen before. Masked, clad in dark leathers interwoven with elemental runes, they moved silently, their forms almost blending with the cavern walls. Each carried small weapons crackling with dark energy, meant to disrupt elemental powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Looks like they knew we’d come,\" Renkai growled. \"They’re ready for us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira inhaled deeply, centering herself. She could feel the hum of her elements: fire warming her fingertips, water flowing softly around her feet, wind brushing her hair, and the earth beneath the cavern thrumming in response. She was ready.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scouts attacked as one. Shadows leaped from the darkness, arrows and blades cutting through the faint light. Serelyth swooped in, her claws scattering attackers while she breathed bursts of controlled flame. Her humanoid form was too slow to dodge all the attacks, but in dragon form she was a whirlwind of destructive power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thalanir moved like a whisper, striking with precise elven blades that glowed faintly, cutting through illusions the scouts conjured to mislead them. Renkai lunged and spun, his fox agility unmatched, taking down two scouts with clever maneuvers, using the shadows to his advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira concentrated, weaving multiple elements together. Fire and water danced in controlled harmony to create scalding mist, blinding the scouts. Earth rose beneath their feet, roots and rocks ensnaring anyone who moved too aggressively. Wind carried whispers to mislead, while lightning sparked along the crystalline cavern walls, illuminating and disorienting their foes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first wave was fierce but manageable. The scouts fell one by one, but Lira felt her energy draining. Each spell, each elemental burst pushed her limits. Serelyth roared, defending a flank as Renkai and Thalanir fought side by side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a dark scout leapt from above, striking with elemental disruption magic. Lira barely blocked it, but the impact sent her staggering backward. Her chest burned, her hands tingled from overuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lira!\" Thalanir shouted. \"Take a breath! Don’t burn out too fast!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was no time. More scouts emerged, summoned from shadowy portals in the cavern walls. The group was surrounded, forced to defend and attack at the same time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth’s dragon form shimmered with strain, flames mixing with bursts of wind as she countered multiple attackers at once. Renkai’s movements were faster, almost blur-like, while Thalanir’s precision cut paths through the scouts. Lira’s own powers created a chaotic ballet of elements that kept them all alive—but just barely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hours—or what felt like hours—passed in relentless combat. Sweat and ash mixed with dust from the cavern. Limbs ached, magic faltered, but the group pressed on. Finally, after an intense final push, the last scout fell. The remaining shadows dissipated, leaving only silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira sank to the ground, exhausted, hands trembling. She reached out, touching the floor, drawing energy from the earth and water to slowly restore herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth landed nearby, wings folding, smoke curling from her nostrils. \"We... survived,\" she murmured, her voice strained but triumphant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renkai leaned on his knees, breathing hard. \"They’re strong... but we’re stronger together.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thalanir sheathed his blade, looking around the cavern. \"This was just a test... a taste of what awaits. But we learned something crucial—the mastermind’s scouts fight with coordination and magic disruption. We’ll need strategy, patience, and even greater control.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira nodded, wiping sweat from her brow. Her multielemental powers had been pushed to limits she hadn’t thought possible, but she had survived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She rose, speaking softly. \"We rest now. We heal, we recover, and then we continue. The mastermind will not hide forever, and when we find them, we will be ready.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cavern was quiet again, shadows still, golden runes pulsing faintly. It had been a trial—a dark, exhausting prelude to the true confrontation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And somewhere deeper in the lair, eyes watched, calculating... waiting for the next move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first rays of dawn filtered through the canopy of the forest as Lira and her companions emerged from the cavern. Their bodies were sore, bruised from close calls, but spirits remained high. Serelyth carried them gracefully through the trees, her wings steady despite the exhaustion of the previous battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We need to find a safe place to rest properly,\" Lira said, her voice still tinged with the strain of using multiple elements at once. \"Somewhere hidden, where we can heal and plan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renkai’s ears twitched. \"I know a secluded glade not far from here. It’s shielded by old kitsune wards... even the master scouts might struggle to detect us there.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thalanir nodded. \"Good. We’ll need full recovery. The next fight will be harder. They fight with coordination, and I doubt that was even the main force.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1561,"2026-06-06T14:30:21.781Z",1,"novelbin.me","cf073e4d66fd6b53b4fd4617da877805fe0eacefa3b2d9f452e4212a76b8ff9d","born-as-a-witch-chapter-298","born-as-a-witch-chapter-296",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fborn-as-a-witch-cover.jpg"]