"Uh…" Wilder fell silent for a moment, then chuckled again. "I can really get you out of this mess. You sure you don't wanna reconsider the deal?"

Shana rolled her eyes at him. "You're the one who turned us down, don't act like we rejected you."

Feto added, "No one doubts your ability, but asking us to pay right now is putting us in an impossible spot."

"Actually, if you're serious about making a deal, there's still room to negotiate." Wilder's eyes darted around shrewdly. "No Golden Glow Coins? You can trade equivalent items instead. Heh, like the witch's potions…"

"Forget it!" Shana refused flatly. "A witch's potions are for saving lives, not for trading!"

"Hey, don't say no so fast. Think about it. Heh heh heh… Whether it's antidotes or poisons, any witch's potion—I'll pay you the top market rate from Golden Harbor, up to seven hundred coins a bottle!"

"No way! This isn't up for negotiation!" Shana said firmly.

Shana did value these potions, brewed from mandala leaves and flowers with enchanted incantations, but she didn't hold them as her lifeblood. She refused because she'd never forgotten her master's warning: A witch without potions is no different from an ordinary commoner—maybe even more vulnerable. So no matter the situation, a witch must keep a few potions on hand for emergencies. Shana only had six left now. If she traded them away, she'd have no way to protect herself. She didn't know if this black market merchant was friend or foe; handing over her potions recklessly could lead to disaster. The werewolves were moments away—she couldn't take that risk. Shana shook her head repeatedly, her refusal unshakable.

"Aww… No way at all?" Wilder turned to Feto. "What about your shield, guard?"

Feto shook his head. "Sorry, the Silver Round Shield isn't for sale either."

"Looks like we really can't make a deal…" Wilder sighed, looking genuinely disappointed.

"The werewolves are here!" Feto shouted suddenly.

Shana jumped and crouched down, listening intently. Footsteps echoed through the cave—werewolves had entered! She knelt by the pool, her eyes fixed on the dark entrance behind the waterfall, her nerves stretched tight like a bowstring. As the werewolves approached, besides feeling tense, a strange thought popped into her head: If I take down three more wolves today, I'll be promoted to Silver Witch.

The footsteps grew louder. Suddenly, a shadow burst out from behind the waterfall. Here they come! Shana moved with lightning speed, flinging a prepped potion at the werewolf the moment it emerged. The venom traced a perfect arc through the air, splattering precisely onto the beast. The werewolf froze, its fierce eyes filling with agony. It let out a shrill howl and fell into the pool, sending a huge splash of water into the air.

Shana's demon-slaying record had a new entry, but she felt no joy. She knew greater danger was coming. The werewolf's howl would draw more of its kind!

"Nice shot!" Wilder cheered from the side. "That potion-throwing technique is flawless! Even if I had poison, I couldn't throw it that accurately!"

No kidding! When it comes to potion-throwing, I'm a pro! Shana felt a surge of pride at the compliment, but she put on a nonchalant face and snapped at Wilder: "Hey! Keep your voice down! You wanna draw every werewolf here?"

Wilder laughed. "That werewolf's death howl already sent the signal. A whole pack will be here soon. Hiding won't help—you better think about how to fight them off."

Shana scoffed. "What's there to think? Grab a weapon and fight!"

"Impulse is the devil. The point of fighting is to survive and take out the enemy. They're stronger than you—fighting head-on isn't smart. Heh heh heh…" Wilder grinned. "Tell you what. I can't just watch you two get killed, so I'm gonna adjust the deal. This new plan should satisfy both our interests."

He keeps acting like he's some big shot—who does he think he is? Shana rolled her eyes. "Where do you get all these plans? One after another, you're making my head spin!"

Wilder laughed. "Since you won't sell your potions, teach me your potion-throwing technique instead! I'll pay you fifty thousand Golden Glow Coins—top dollar!"

Shana snorted. "You think potion-throwing is just flinging poison around? There are twelve core techniques for a witch's potion-throwing, each with three variations—thirty-six total. You think fifty thousand coins can buy that? Dream on!"

Wilder scratched his head. "C'mon, fifty thousand is a lot… How about adding two thousand more?"

"Stop it! A witch's potion-throwing technique is a secret of the Mandala Palace. No matter how much you offer, I won't sell it!" Shana refused again.

As they argued, the footsteps in the cave grew louder and more chaotic. More werewolves had entered! Four shadows burst out from behind the waterfall. Shana waved her hands, sending two streams of emerald venom toward the werewolves. Two of them were hit and fell into the dark pool with a splash.

But the danger wasn't over. The other two werewolves, their eyes glowing with malice, lunged at Shana with suffocating pressure. Feto rushed forward, using his Silver Round Shield to block their fierce attacks, engaging them in battle.

Shana reached into her pocket for more potions, only to realize she had just three left—and all were antidotes. Crap! I'm out of poison! A witch without poison is no different from an ordinary commoner!

Shana watched helplessly as Feto fought the two werewolves, unable to help. Luckily, he wasn't losing ground yet. It's all my fault for not listening to Senior Sister Yun before we left! If I'd brought more poison…

Shana blamed herself, but then a thought struck her: Wait a minute! I'm a versatile genius magical maiden! My skills aren't limited to witchcraft!

But when she tried to call on other magic, she realized she'd only ever learned those spells in theory, like ancient texts locked away on a shelf—she'd never used them in real combat. Soul-binding Curse? Demon-hunting Arrow? Silence Spell? Which one should I use? Faced with the imminent fight, Shana felt a wave of panic and helplessness. Those dazzling spells seemed to dance just beyond her fingertips, like stars in the sky—close enough to see, but impossible to reach. For a moment, she was completely at a loss.