By September, Emeraldwood City was no longer as stiflingly hot as before.
The evening breeze was neither too warm nor too cool, just the right kind of refreshing.
Dusk was approaching, and pedestrians hurried along the streets, eager to return home.
Ant walked along the roadside, his expression blank as he watched them.
It took him a while to dig through the corners of his memory to recall the sensation of a breeze brushing against his skin.
Ever since he had been assimilated, his senses had undergone a complete upheaval.
He could no longer enjoy the sweetness of food, nor feel the warmth of a fire…
The pleasant night wind before him now filled him with distaste; only the cold, damp depths of the Emerald Shadow Forest felt comfortable to him.
This change unsettled Ant sometimes; it even filled him with a vague fear.
But then he thought of Lynn.
He remembered the godlike figure from Wayne's memories.
This friend of nine years, his transformation was truly astonishing.
A pity…
Lynn was about to die.
Ant slowed his pace slightly and lifted his gaze toward a shack not far ahead of Lynn's shack.
From the shadow behind him, Dor shared this view, a cold smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Those who offended them would not be given the chance at baptism; the only end was death.
Lynn's blood would wash away the disrespect, and they would reclaim the White-Shadow Mushrooms.
Ant's previously blank face grew more animated. Turning his head, he forced an awkward, hesitant smile as he made his way toward the shack's door.
"Long time no see, Lynn."
He rehearsed the words silently, green light beginning to gather in his eyes.
From Wayne's memories, he knew Lynn's combat abilities were already at the level of a third-rank apprentice.
He didn't know what Lynn had gone through to gain such power.
But Ant himself was not the same as before, either. Any human who had not crossed the extraordinary threshold and lacked mental defenses was no different in front of the power the Great One had granted him.
And even if the target had crossed the threshold, as long as they weren't a first-rank apprentice, Dor, the "larva," would serve as the final assurance.
Knock, knock, knock
He rapped on the door.
But after a long wait, there was no response from within.
Frowning, Ant reached for the handle.
Creak
The unlocked wooden door opened easily.
Lynn wasn't inside.
None of his belongings were there either.
The shack's interior was empty.
...
"Indeed, this is the meditation rune of the Hossens Apprentice Meditation Method…"
Laurel District, Ginkgo Street No. 1, Hossens School Outpost.
Second-rank apprentice Ido finished his examination of Lynn, surprise flashing in his eyes. Turning to Diehl, he asked:
"When was the last time a rejected reserve apprentice successfully advanced?"
"Who knows… at least seven years ago. In the seven years we've been stationed here at the foot of the mountain, we've never heard of one."
Something seemed to occur to him. Smiling warmly, Ido said to Lynn:
"Congratulations on your advancement… You're Lynn, right? I'm Ido, and this is Diehl."
"Yes, Master Ido… Master Diehl."
Lynn returned the smile, inevitably recalling the first time he had come here to report in Ido's cold demeanor, and Diehl's panicked, sweating face.
"You've done us quite a favor," Diehl said with a grin.
"With you here, at least when Lord Anderson finds out that more than half of this term's rejected reserve apprentices have died, his mood might be a bit better."
"More than half…?" Lynn's brow furrowed slightly.
"Yes, dead, or missing. For some unknown reason, we've lost more than half. We're still investigating."
Ido studied him, then added:
"By the way, Lynn, I'd like to ask you for a favor."
...
"Lynn's not here?"
Within the consciousness network, Dor was puzzled.
"But just yesterday, Ellison came to the Emerald Shadow Forest to synchronize and share recent information. In his memories, Lynn hadn't moved away…"
"Could he have moved just today?" Ant asked hesitantly.
"That wouldn't make sense…" Dor paused, then suddenly seemed to realize something.
"Lynn just got a large number of magic stones from Kersey… perhaps that's why he left so suddenly."
The theory was perfectly logical. Ant no longer questioned it, and instead turned to the larva before him for instructions:
"What should we do next?"
Dor's eyes flickered for a moment before he made his decision:
"Keep searching nearby. Our carefully prepared food source is already dead, we can't lose that batch of White-Shadow Mushrooms as well… Otherwise, the Great One will be especially displeased."
Thinking of the Great One's wrath, Ant shuddered instinctively and nodded hard.
The two began searching the area, but they could not find any trace of Lynn.
Emeraldwood City was vast; trying to pinpoint one person here was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
After a long while, Dor and Ant both came to the same conclusion: this was futile.
They eventually decided to give up.
Ant walked ahead to scout the way, while Dor followed a short distance behind with Giggs in tow, keeping to the shadows as they headed back toward the Emerald Shadow Forest.
But just as they neared the city's northern edge,
Ant unexpectedly ran into Lynn.
"Ant… what are you doing here?" Lynn asked in puzzlement.
Dor, following with Giggs some fifty meters back, immediately received the shared vision.
Surprised and pleased, he tossed Giggs aside without a second thought and began quietly approaching Lynn.
Ant was just as startled, but he quickly recovered, his eyes turning slightly red as he put on an awkward, ashamed expression and said suddenly:
"Lynn, long time no see."
"Where have you been these days? I heard from Giggs that you vanished without a trace…" Lynn said, stepping toward him.
"I'm looking for the rejected reserve apprentices. I was going to find Giggs, but he wasn't home. I was hoping you could help me…"
"I need your help, Lynn," Ant suddenly interjected, his tone almost pleading.
Lynn froze, a barely perceptible flicker of wariness in his eyes.
Ant would never say something like that so easily and certainly not in such a supplicant tone.
"Of course. How do you need me to help?" Lynn asked evenly, his expression unchanged.
"That's great… thank you, Lynn." Ant didn't elaborate. He simply lowered his head and walked closer, then suddenly looked up, green light flaring in his eyes!
But Lynn had been ready for this. He instantly stepped back several paces.
At that very moment, the sound of something slicing through the air came from his left.
From the shadows, Dor, his green light gleaming in his eyes, lunged at Lynn.
But before he could reach him
A formless surge of spiritual light shot through the air, striking Dor in an instant and freezing him in place.
Zero-Ring intermediate spell: Body Lock.
"I have to ask, are you sure this is your friend and not your enemy?"
Ido emerged from the shadows, astonishment on his face.
He had heard how life was harsh for the rejected reserve apprentices, how they schemed and fought against each other.
But this warm greeting one moment, fighting the next, ambushes in the dark… and Lynn had even anticipated it.
This was just too…
"…Master Ido, that's not Ant!"
On the other side, Lynn shook his head and added grimly, "He also used a mental attack on me!"
Mental attack…
Ido's face hardened. Aside from certain races born with strong spiritual power, anyone capable of launching a mental attack had at least crossed the extraordinary threshold.
Another rejected apprentice who had successfully advanced?
No…
Almost at the same time, Ido recalled the unusual circumstances he and Diehl had uncovered regarding the rejected reserve apprentices.
Could it be… connected to this strange one before them?
Creak… crack…
Not far away, Dor, who had been frozen in place, slowly twisted his neck, unnaturally, as he began to regain movement.
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