Watching Sally and her companion's figures gradually disappear, Colin retracted his gaze but didn't rush towards the so-called Red Earth Forest they mentioned.
Instead, he walked around the area and asked a few local wizards for information about the ancient trees.
"An ancient tree... The forest where one can find ancient trees lately should be the Red Soil Forest to the west."
"It seems due to the unique soil composition, the trees that grow there aren't suitable for materials and don't serve much purpose. They are unclaimed trees that have been left to grow on their own for many years."
"So if you're looking for big trees, there should be plenty there," the last passerby wizard detailed in his reply.
'It aligns with what Sally and her companion said.'
Colin nodded inwardly and, after thanking the passerby wizard, set off along the street toward the Red Soil Forest.
Gubier Island had towns of various sizes.
The city they were in naturally was Gubier City, the largest city on Gubier Island.
Perhaps because of wartime conditions, Gubier City now had a ban on flying—a point Margaret had specifically mentioned to them after they disembarked from the airship yesterday.
Walking briskly with the wind whistling past his ears, Colin's mind, for some reason, inexplicably reflected on Sally's words.
'Run... Escape this island?'
After being slightly on guard internally, Colin didn't ponder further and focused on heading towards the western city gate.
After all, if a major crisis occurred, he would be powerless to help, and if it were a minor crisis, there would be no point in worrying unnecessarily.
'However... I'll still take the opportunity to mention it to Margaret when I can.'
Colin quietly added in his mind.
The western city gate wasn't far from the castle he stayed in.
With a brisk walk, it took roughly twenty minutes to reach the western city gate.
Then, after another dozen or so minutes and flying over a cliff, a deep green patch became clearly visible within his sight.
Looking around, it was the only forest—evidently, this was the Red Soil Forest.
As for the red soil, perhaps it was obscured by the dense foliage of the trees, at that moment in the sky, Colin hadn't yet seen it.
Glancing over the area from above, he spotted the tallest trees in the entire forest and darted straight down towards them.
On Gubier Island, there were no demons or such that could threaten him, now a First Rank Wizard.
However, for safety, upon landing atop the trees, he carefully cast the Detecting Three Abilities.
Only after confirming there were no abnormalities did he plunge into the dense forest.
And upon entering the dense forest, he abruptly stopped, finally understanding why this place was called the Red Soil Forest!
In Colin's azure eyes, at that moment, vast stretches of red were reflected.
He had thought this red soil might be just a brownish-red soil.
But unexpectedly, that red was as vivid as strawberries and cherries!
Although the red was bright and vivid, it didn't come across as frightening. Paired with the crystalline green of the trees here—this place more closely resembled a land from a fantasy fairy tale.
The vibrant red hue seeped into fine threads, spreading from the dirt to the trunks of the surrounding trees.
Crack.
Colin landed beside a tree and reached out to give it a firm squeeze.
The bark of the large tree crumbled easily beneath his grip, like a cookie breaking off into small fragments.
This was partly because of his current strength.
But also due to those vivid red threads covering the trunk.
Those threads made the trees easy to break along the red lines, just like sticking back together after being shattered.
Any tree that grew here would bear these bright red threads, which was why the trees here were worthless for use.
After all, once felled and removed from this red soil area, those vivid red threads would slowly fade away.
In the end, what was once whole timber would simply become a pile of broken fragments.
Moreover, Colin picked up the piece of bark he had just pinched off.
These fragments were soft, damp, and showed signs of rot... not at all like they had just fallen from a living tree.
They were really of no use.
'I just don't know if using Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft will be successful later on.'
Colin couldn't help but worry.
But since he was already here, he looked around.
Eventually, he chose the ancient tree in front of him from which he had pinched off a piece.
The tree was large enough to be embraced by five or six people, which should meet the conditions for casting the Ancient Tree Heart.
Placing his palm upon the ancient tree, Colin gathered his spirit and Magic Power surged forth immediately.
The Ancient Tree Heart was cast!
The next moment, Colin felt the surging Life Energy of the tree.
The crimson veins seemed not to affect the tree's Life Energy.
Under the effect of the Ancient Tree Heart, the "Life Energy" contained within the tree converged toward his hand like invisible mist.
Then, following a special pattern, a peculiar crystallization slowly took shape in the air.
This was the external manifestation of the Ancient Tree Heart.
If it were to be formed inside the body, it would be even more complicated due to the need for physical adaptation.
As time passed, the peculiar crystallization gradually took form.
A faint pink light radiated in all directions.
'Pink?'
Colin was somewhat surprised.
According to the records of Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft, the majority of Ancient Tree Heart Crystals formed in the air should be a faint green color.
Yet the Ancient Tree Heart formed in this Red Soil Forest was a bright, light pink.
Somewhat bewitching... perhaps an influence of the red soil.
Colin conjectured silently as he turned to look at the ancient tree beside him.
This tree, just used to construct the Ancient Tree Heart, now had noticeably shriveled leaves.
However, this was only temporary, and in a few days, the ancient tree would recover its lushness.
The Ancient Tree Heart absorbed, in strict terms, not the tree's Life Force.
Rather, it was the Life Spirit inherent in the ancient tree itself.
After all, the Life Force of a tree could not be indiscriminately compared to that of a human body; the tree's Life Force was of little use to humans, let alone for extending life or improving aptitude.
But Life Spirit was different.
It is something that an ancient tree could only produce after reaching a certain age.
Although it also could not be directly applied to Wizards.
But if it could be properly transformed, it indeed had significant benefits for Wizards.
Besides, taking it indeed caused great harm to the Life Energy of the ancient tree, but it did not directly lead to its death.
The faint pink light gradually receded, and the Ancient Tree Heart Witchcraft came to an end.
A moment later.
Plop.
Colin opened his palm and nonchalantly caught the hovering pink crystal.
He curiously brought it in front of him, then gently sniffed it with his nose.
'It doesn't have any smell... Huh?!'
Whoosh!
Colin flipped his hand, clenching the Ancient Tree Heart Crystal in his palm and quickly turned to look behind him.
The tree shadows loomed, the green leaves swayed, and the sun was blocked by the dense foliage, with only some weak light successfully penetrating and illuminating the forest.
The weak light did not hinder his sight, yet his field of vision turned up empty; he didn't see anything suspicious.
Colin furrowed his eyebrows and cast Detecting Three Abilities.
The result from the witchcraft... was still nothing.
This Red Soil Forest, a long time ago due to its uniqueness, had been frequented by a constant stream of Wizards.
But later, after countless Wizards had come and even some High Rank Wizards had examined it without finding anything of value.
The place gradually became deserted.
Due to its poor terrain and unsuitability for planting, it was left desolate and uninhabited all year round.
'Could it be that some peculiar Fierce Beast has been born?'
Colin speculated while simultaneously increasing the strength of his Steel Temperature Resistance Field.
Whoosh!
Just then, Colin's ears twitched slightly, and his right hand shot out like lightning!
"Eekyah!"
A palm-sized red Elf was captured by him, emitting a panicked cry.
Even so, the little Elf still seemed reluctant to look at his left hand.
With a thought, Colin opened his hand to reveal the light pink Ancient Tree Heart Crystal.
"Eee-eee-eek-yah!"
The red Elf immediately cried out even more intensely and began to wave its limbs frantically!