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墨書 Inktalez
The leading boy noticed the faint Azure aura surrounding Freya and silently took out a Test Tube filled with Black Liquid from his waist pouch, tossing it down without a word.
The ordinary glass Test Tube shattered with a loud bang against a rock below, and the black liquid slowly flowed onto the ground from the broken Test Tube, emitting a slight hissing sound.
As if reacting with some unknown substance, the flowing Black Liquid suddenly stirred on the ground and began to gather everything around it as if it had come to life.
Black soil, fallen leaves, and rainwater cascading down all quickly surged toward the Black Liquid. Within seconds, they formed a bizarre Black Giant.
As the giant took shape, a faint odor of decay emanated from it.
Freya, who had already observed all Zero-Level Spells in the academy, immediately recognized that this giant was a Summon-type Corrosion Giant, which was a relatively advanced zero-level Spell. It required not only an understanding of the complex Spell Model but also expertise in Pharmacology. The giant possessed strong defensive capabilities and power, though its speed was comparable to that of an ordinary person. However, for a Second-Class Apprentice, it was still a formidable Spell, naturally commanding a high purchase price.
"Go, attract it!" The leading boy pointed at the Carrion Beast and issued the command with his mental energy.
Freya glanced at the boy and noticed that his complexion was much paler than before; it seemed that summoning such a powerful creature took a toll on his mental energy.
Upon hearing its master's command, the Corrosion Giant abruptly stood up from the ground. Its pitch-black head slowly opened into a large gaping hole, from which a deep howling sound emerged.
"Roar!!"
A thick stench surged from that black hole toward the Carrion Beast. Even the four people perched in the trees could smell that corpse-like odor.
Not far away, the Carrion Beast was directly drawn in by this scent.
Having fled for so long, it was ravenously hungry. Upon suddenly catching the whiff of decay, it cautiously turned its gaze toward them.
However, when it saw the solitary Corrosion Giant in the distance, it paused slightly, somewhat confused about what kind of creature this was.
Yet, despite being slightly more intelligent than an ordinary Carrion Beast, it ultimately did not escape its beastly instincts. Soon enough, its hunger suppressed its curiosity.
"What's the quickest mission to obtain Magic Stone?" Kaidy pondered, looking down. "It mainly boils down to hunting missions and gathering various materials. However, compared to the latter, hunting missions yield more Magic Stone."
"Hunting missions?" Freya asked curiously upon hearing Kaidy's words. "What exactly do we hunt?"
"There aren't any specific indicators; it mainly depends on what the issuer of the hunting mission needs. Sometimes it could be monsters, and other times it could be people. Most of those who take on hunting missions are apprentices of the Negative Energy System. Those guys are quite suited for this kind of work. Besides, you and I are only Second-Class Apprentices right now, and hunting missions usually come with certain risks, which aren't very suitable for us," Kaidy reminded Freya, perhaps noticing her interest in the topic.
"Oh," Freya nodded, gaining some understanding of the mission. She then looked up at the large mission board nearby and asked, "What kind of missions would be suitable for us?"
"There are many options, such as acting as an experimental assistant for our mentor, handling magical materials, or engraving runes. If you're good at Plant Magic, you could also work in logistics as a specialist. You can earn at least three Magic Stone a month; it's quite generous!" Kaidy said with a hint of envy.
"Three a month, huh?" Freya feigned surprise at Kaidy's words but frowned slightly in her heart.
She had just glanced at the mission board; earning three Magic Stone a month safely was indeed much higher than the rewards from regular missions, but it still couldn't compare to hunting missions.
A simple hunting mission had a minimum reward of one Magic Stone, with higher ones reaching ten or even twenty. Although there were unknown dangers involved, both in terms of time and quantity, they far exceeded those of regular missions. Additionally, after completing a hunting mission, one could also gain some extra income from the prey, which was all transparent gray income.
'Indeed, killing and looting is the fastest shortcut to wealth in any world,' Freya thought to herself.
"Alright. Over there is where you register your files," Kaidy pointed to a red wooden door deep in the hall and continued, "I need to go organize experimental materials for Mentor Griffia later, so I won't accompany you."
"Okay, you go ahead," Freya smiled and waved goodbye to Kaidy.
Kaidy was also an ordinary apprentice without any family background. He had worked his way up step by step to reach Aelgreen Wizard Academy. However, compared to the clueless Freya, as a local, Kaidy knew much more than she did.
Although Kaidy's learning ability couldn't compare to Freya's, his effort and determination were evident. Aside from studying, he was the busiest among the three of them. His biggest dream was to become an Official Wizard and be recruited by a certain Elk Wizard Family. It seemed he also had a secret crush on Lilian. It was uncertain whether this secret admiration would eventually become public.
Nonetheless, Kaidy and Lilian were two of the few friends Freya could talk to at the academy.
Suddenly thinking about what it would be like if those two who often bickered ended up together made her wonder.
However, what happens between the two of them in the future is their own business; her main goal now is to earn Magic Stones.
Freya's lips curled slightly as she turned and walked toward the red wooden door.
...
Two months later.
In the outer area of Aelgreen Wizard Academy.
Dense forests surrounded the area, and dark rain clouds loomed overhead, rumbling ominously as the wind began to pick up.
Deep within the forest, four figures cloaked in Gray Robes were hidden above the large trees, lying in wait.
Two males and two females. All four appeared very young, not older than eighteen, and wore vigilant expressions as if they were waiting for something.
Due to the gloomy colors and the dense foliage, it would be difficult to spot the four crouching in the trees unless one looked closely.
In this tranquil forest, as the wind grew stronger, fine raindrops began to fall, creating a rustling sound among the trees.
Standing atop a tree branch, Freya remained still as she pulled the hood of her robe over her head. Although she didn’t mind getting wet, having her undergarments soaked was still quite uncomfortable.
In her hand was a Cross Sword coated with a layer of gray paint, with rainwater flowing down its cold blade.
She was on a low-level hunting mission, targeting a Carrion Beast that had come from outside.
This creature had severely disrupted the protective magic and ecological system surrounding the academy, and since the Carrion Beast was too powerful for the Rabbit Guardians to handle, a hunting mission had to be issued.
Freya knew about this type of creature from the Tome of All Things Studies; it was essentially a low-level Demonized Creature resembling an enlarged Gray Wolf. Aside from possessing brute strength comparable to that of a Great Knight, its intelligence was no different from that of an ordinary beast, making it relatively easy to deal with.
Even Freya could take it down in a one-on-one fight, though it would be a bit of a struggle.
However, the threat posed by this foreign Carrion Beast was significant, and it seemed to know how to hide, which is why it was included in the hunting mission. The reward was also substantial—four Magic Stones.
This mission was not exclusive; anyone could take it on, and there was no limit to the number of participants. It could be completed solo or in a team.
Initially, Freya had tried to tackle it alone, but she found that the intelligence of the Carrion Beast was much higher than she had anticipated. Once it sensed danger, it would immediately turn and flee, leaving no chance for a direct confrontation.
With its own brute strength at the level of a Great Knight, although she couldn't defeat it, escaping from one or two apprentices pursuing it was far too easy.
After several unsuccessful attempts, Freya had no choice but to seek out other apprentices who had taken on the same mission to act together.
Eventually, after forming a team, one of the apprentices skilled in tracking with Spell from the Shadow System caught sight of the Carrion Beast's movements. They planned to ambush it along this route.
The rain seemed to be getting heavier. Fortunately, the gray apprentice robes had rain-resistant properties; aside from the exposed skin getting wet, they remained dry inside.
However, as time passed, aside from Freya still keeping her eyes fixed ahead, the other three began to fidget slightly. The prolonged waiting made these still-maturing apprentices somewhat impatient.
“Furante, does your Shadow Tracking Technique really indicate that the Carrion Beast will pass through here?” One girl among them, holding a Longbow and wooden arrows, couldn't help but whisper to the boy next to her.
“This... should be the right spot,” replied the boy named Furante, looking at the wooden token in his hand that emitted a faint glow, appearing somewhat uncertain.
All four of them were Second-Class Apprentices. They had just begun to learn about Spell Models, and their grasp of Basic Knowledge was not yet solidified, so there were bound to be discrepancies in their Spells.
Moreover, that girl hadn't mastered any Spell yet; if it weren't for her exceptional archery skills, she wouldn't have been able to join this team at all.
“The Shadow System's Shadow Tracking Technique is the most accurate among all systems. There might be some timing discrepancies, but it shouldn't be wrong!” Another boy, though also somewhat impatient, reassured them quietly. His grasp of Basic Knowledge was much more comprehensive than that girl's.
“Alright then, let's wait a bit longer.” The girl shot a questioning glance at Furante, slightly shifting her somewhat stiff body as she whispered.
Freya quietly listened to the conversation among the three without speaking. She had the most contact with the Carrion Beast among the four and understood a lot about this creature. Based on her previous experiences, the likelihood of it passing through here was very high.
Just as the four were harboring various thoughts, there was a slight rustle in the tall grass not far away.
"It's coming!" The boy who had been calming the other two was the first to notice this anomaly, while Freya tightened her grip on her Cross Sword at the same time.
She squinted slightly, and through the hazy rain, she could clearly see a massive creature resembling a Gray Wolf springing out from the grass.
Its fierce fangs, blood-red eyes, and powerful physique all displayed the ferocity of this creature.
For a moment, the other three, who had never encountered such a creature before, gasped in shock.
"Is this really the Carrion Beast..." The girl looked at the formidable appearance of the Carrion Beast and swallowed hard, her voice trembling. "Are we... really going to kill it?"
"It has traces of shadow that I released on it, and there are many scars on its shoulder blade. It should be what we're looking for..." Furante, although nervous, was much calmer than the girl. He drew his Crossbow from his waist and began loading bolts one by one.
"Stop talking. Get ready. Freya, you excel at ambushes; you prepare for a final strike. Furante and Lena, you two cover Freya while I attract its attention! Let's make it quick!" The leader of the group spoke in a low voice as he scanned the other three.
This time, all three nodded heavily without answering.
Freya, who had been watching the movements of the Carrion Beast, slightly raised her Cross Sword. With her empty left hand, she made a strange gesture while softly chanting an incantation.
Then a gentle breeze brushed past her ear, and her body, which had been somewhat stiff from long periods of hiding, suddenly felt lighter.
This was her only Zero-Level Spell, Light Wind, obtained after accumulating Magic Stones through ordinary hunting missions over two months.
The original purpose of this Spell was for escape; its model was not as complex as some other Spells and was quite inexpensive. Freya had completed its analysis within five days of purchasing it.
However, relative to this simple Zero-Level Spell, it was perfectly suitable for Freya in terms of both effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.
After a rough observation of the surrounding environment and finding no other creatures, it slowly crouched down and moved towards the Corrosion Giant, which was still emanating a strong aura.
The instinct to hunt prevented it from rushing in recklessly; instead, it cleverly concealed itself.
As the distance to the Corrosion Giant decreased, the hind legs of the Carrion Beast gradually tensed up, ready to burst into a sprint at any moment.
The four individuals hiding in the treetops were nervously watching every move of the Carrion Beast.
Perhaps sensing that it was the optimal moment to sprint, the Carrion Beast suddenly leaped out from its hiding place in the grass, its powerful limbs propelling its massive form through the rain curtain. Its slightly open mouth revealed sharp fangs, glinting ominously.
"Growl!"
With lightning speed, the Carrion Beast pounced on the unsuspecting Corrosion Giant, which was still exhaling its breath. Before it could react, it was knocked to the ground. The sharp fangs accurately bit into its neck, and with a crunching sound, the Corrosion Giant, made of soil and decayed leaves, had its neck bitten through in one swift strike.
"Now's the time!!" (To be continued)
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