Evan felt a bit confused.

After all, the kobold mage he just shot down was only a level 4 rank-1 monster. So how could it cast the Greater Fireball spell that it used to sneak-attack them?! It was a spell that couldn't be learned by pyromancers below the 9th level!

'Could it be because of the staff? Maybe it is a magic weapon that allow you to use level 2 fire magic.' Evan thought.

He inspected the staff that was on the floor.

[Name: Flamemaster's Staff!]

[Rank: High-Level Magic Weapon!]

[Description: This staff is made from a rare and ancient wood that has been infused with the power of fire. It emanates a warm glow and feels scorching to the touch. The intricate carvings on the staff depict flames and fire spirits of 13 different levels worshiping a man.]

[Effect: The Flamekeeper's Staff is a powerful tool for any fire user as it greatly enhances the power of fire spells, increasing their damage and range. It also reduces the cost of fire spells, allowing for more frequent use. Additionally, the staff can be used as a melee weapon, scorching enemies.]

"It's a good item! It would be a waste to not take it." Evan remarked as he picked it up from the floor.

Lirian watched him curiously. "Useful? That looks like a piece of rotten wood to me."

"It may look like trash," Evan explained calmly, "but it's actually a high-level magic weapon that's specifically designed for fire users. It could boost their power by a large margin. "

As Evan explained the true value of the item, Lirian's eyes widened with greed.

"A high-level magic weapon, you say? Why didn't you say so earlier? I'll gladly take it off your hands!" he exclaimed jokingly, not expecting to actually get it.

However, Evan smiled and really handed the item over to Lirian. "Consider it a token of appreciation for all your help so far."

To be honest, Evan didn't need it. He already knew what type of soul plate he'll be awakening in the future, and the Firekeeper's staff wasn't going to be of any use to me as it only benefited fire users, and since he could use it to even the score between them, he didn't hesitate to do it.

After all, he didn't want to look like an asshole who took advantage of his friend and made them work for him without giving anything in return.

"Thank you!" Thanking him, Lirian eagerly snatched the item from Evan's hand, examining it with avarice. "Ha! This little treasure is going to fetch me a fortune!" he exclaimed.

Evan rolled his eyes, knowing Lirian's love for treasure all too well.

...

Evan and Lirian delved deeper into the labyrinth of tunnels, with Evan taking the lead.

As they proceeded, the number of luminous stones embedded in the walls seemed to decrease, casting an eerie gloom over their surroundings.

Soon, they came across a path that was barely illuminated by the sparse luminous stones in the walls and mostly shrouded in darkness.

The darkness was so thick that it seemed to swallow up the shine of the glow stick that Lirian had taken out some time ago, making it difficult to see anything beyond a few feet in front of them.

Evan inspected if there was something wrong with the path ahead and abruptly came to a sudden halt, prompting Lirian to ask, "What's the matter?"

Evan pointed to an intricate design on the ground that Lirian hadn't noticed because it was too dark. "It is a mechanism that can activate a series of traps if stepped on, and there are many like this in this path. So do not step on them under any circumstances. Just follow me lead and we will be fine."

"I understand," Lirian said seriously, fully aware of the gravity of the situation.

Evan and Lirian continued their journey through the twisting tunnels with great caution, their eyes glued to the ground to avoid stepping on any magic symbols.

The silence was punctuated only by the soft sound of their footsteps and the occasional drip of water from the walls.

Each step was taken cautiously, as they knew one wrong move could spell disaster.

After navigating several more twists and turns, they came to a sudden dead end.

Lirian punched the wall blocking their way with all his strength but failed to leave a scratch on it.

There was no way he was going to break it!

"This is the first wall I have come across that I can't break with a punch. What now?" Lirian asked as he turned his head to the side.

"Let me confirm if it's really a dead end," Evan replied calmly.

Evan took a deep breath and scanned the wall in front to ensure what they were seeing was true.

The Kobolds were quite good at illusion magic. Who knew if this was really a dead end? He had to confirm it first.

[Inspection successful]

[You have detected an illusory wall! It is a wall made of an illusion that can fool the senses of a human. You can touch it, see it, taste it, smell it, but it is not real.]

'Looks like my suspicion was right on the mark.' Evan thought as he ran his hand over the smooth surface of the illusory wall, testing its texture and solidity.

It felt like he had touched a solid wall made of concrete.

"What a powerful illusion!" he exclaimed.

As Evan ran his hand over the smooth surface of the wall, Lirian watched in confusion.

"Wait, what's going on here?" he asked, clearly not understanding what Evan was up to.

Evan turned to face him with a confident smile.

"This wall isn't real. It's an illusion," he explained, gesturing to the wall. "It can fool our senses, but it's not actually there. However, the illusion is so strong that even you felt like you had hit a real wall when you punched it, so we can't possibly force our way through it."

Lirian's eyes widened in surprise. Was this really something made by Kobolds? Such a real illusion could only be set up by an illusionist, and the Kobold race lacked the intelligence to gift birth to one.

"So, do you know how we can get through it?" Lirian asked.

Evan paused for a moment, thinking back to the times he had challenged the Kobold's den of mischief in his previous life.

After a moment, he got the answer he was searching for.

Evan nodded at Lirian as he said, "We just need to keep in mind that it's an illusion as we step through it."

With a deep breath, Evan stepped forward and passed through the wall as if it weren't even there.

Lirian hesitated for a moment before following suit.

As they emerged on the other side, Lirian stared at Evan in awe.

"That was incredible," he said. "How did you know what to do? Did you see it in your vision too?"

Evan knew the dungeon like the back of his hand because he had completed it dozens of times in his past lives.

"No," Evan sharply declined. "It's all about paying attention to the details and using deduction."

Seers could only see glimpses of the future. If he kept using the same excuse, Lirian was bound to become suspicious of him.

Evan didn't want to explain that he had remembered his past life. It was not something he was ready to do as he feared that it might cause unpleasant changes in their relationship.

Anyone woukd be weirded out if they discovered that their friend had regained the memories of his past life.

Lirian was no exception.