Translator: AnubisTL
"I think we should wait for Priest Andy and Knight Commander Lars to return before finalizing our plans," the young knight suggested.
Andy and Lars were the two most formidable leaders in the Allied Forces. Their combined strength rivaled what the wizards called a "first-tier official wizard."
For this reconnaissance mission into the mysterious territory, they had led over a hundred of the most elite warriors.
"Absolutely not!" the former knight commander retorted. "Our battle lines are already retreating. The wizard apprentices have been blinded by their recent victories and are spontaneously gathering. This is our best chance to launch a full-scale assault! If we miss this opportunity and they disperse again or become wary, our plan will likely fail."
"Exactly. Abandoning our current gains for an unknown enemy would be a foolish gamble."
"Andy and Lars are powerful enough. They'll handle whatever's in that territory and then rush to reinforce us."
Faced with the other leaders' insistence, the young knight reluctantly abandoned his proposal, though a deep unease lingered in his heart.
He chose to believe in Andy and Lars's legendary strength, in their myth of invincibility.
He convinced himself that the two leaders, backed by a hundred elite knights, would be more than enough to crush any enemy.
Meanwhile, in the wasteland marked as the "Unknown Territory" by the indigenous leaders, Jieming stood on the ground, his boots crunching through layers of ash and unidentifiable wreckage.
The air reeked of acrid smoke and lingering gunpowder. As far as the eye could see, the landscape was scorched black, as if the earth had been cleansed by raging flames.
This terrifying scene was entirely his doing.
"This is utterly absurd," Jieming muttered, frowning at the ash beneath his feet.
He had simply been searching for materials when a massive horde of indigenous warriors suddenly swarmed him, their numbers overwhelming, as if determined to drown him in their ranks.
But their numbers meant nothing to him. Jieming unleashed a saturation barrage of firepower, completely "plowing" through the area and its inhabitants.
In the violently elemental environment, his rune-imbued magical artifact demonstrated chilling destructive power. Within minutes, the place had been transformed into a living hell.
Using his analysis art to scan the surrounding energy fluctuations, he quickly pinpointed a faint life signature that had yet to completely dissipate.
As Jieming approached, he discovered it was an indigenous warrior clad in full heavy armor. The armor's design and materials were far superior to any he had encountered before, suggesting this was a leader-level figure.
However, only half of the leader's body remained—a vertical half.
After carefully confirming there were no immediate threats using alchemy and analysis art, Jieming crouched down and pried open the warrior's charred and shattered visor.
Behind the visor lay half a face, scarred and twisted, its eye burning with resentment and fury.
The warrior seemed to want to speak, his mouth twitching weakly.
A hoarse, blood-tinged rasp forced its way from his throat, which might no longer exist.
Jieming tilted his head, straining to sense the warrior's mental fluctuations, hoping to understand.
But the structure of the indigenous language and their method of mental power transmission were utterly foreign to him, making comprehension impossible.
He could only watch as the last flicker of light faded from the warrior's eye, and he finally died.
"Muttering something... probably nothing good," Jieming muttered, pursing his lips. Being cursed for no apparent reason left him feeling strangely wronged.
Could there be a large gathering point nearby? Is that why I was mistaken for an invader and triggered their security perimeter? he wondered, bewildered. It's truly unfair. I have no ill intentions... though I am technically an invader in this plane.
Shaking his head, he dismissed the lingering doubts.
Activating his alchemy and analysis art, Jieming suddenly pointed his finger toward a distant direction and unleashed a barrage of fireballs.
Boom...
The distant roar of explosions echoed across the wasteland. As Jieming approached, he found several charred human bodies, their faces frozen in terror.
It seemed the victim had been a member of the indigenous forces, hiding at the rear of the group.
Unfortunately for him, Jieming had detected his presence.
Ironically, the barren wasteland devoid of life had compensated for Jieming's weakness in reconnaissance spells.
Alchemy could detect fluctuations in matter and souls, while analysis art could capture subtle energy shifts. Combined, these abilities allowed Jieming to instantly sense any lifeform's energy signature that didn't belong to the environment, with no possibility of concealment.
At the opposite end of the Greyrock Realm, within a makeshift wizard apprentice camp, weary apprentices huddled together, sharing newly acquired intelligence and potions.
Though their situation remained precarious, the camp's atmosphere had brightened slightly due to a recent piece of news.
"Have you heard? The word's out!" one apprentice whispered, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "The leader of the Indigenous Allied Forces has been located!"
"What? The leader?!"
"Is it true? Where?!"
"They say he's hidden in a secret valley deep within the plane. A reconnaissance wizard risked his life to bring back the intel. They must have thought no one could ever find their main base."
The news spread like wildfire. The apprentices exchanged glances, their eyes flickering with varied emotions.
The intelligence had been obtained too easily—so easily that nearly every apprentice immediately suspected a trap.
However, after witnessing the astonishing performances of Horn, Augusta, and other geniuses on the battlefield, the wizard apprentices' attitude toward the indigenous people had shifted once again.
They had witnessed firsthand how effortlessly the geniuses breached the indigenous forces' encirclements, crushing seemingly formidable knights and shamans.
These victories and the steadily advancing front lines fueled the apprentices' excitement, subconsciously diminishing their perception of the indigenous threat.
Even when they recognized it as a trap, they remained unconcerned.
"So what if it's a trap? With Miss Augusta and Young Master Horn's strength, they can smash through any trap, no matter how powerful!"
"Exactly! These natives' traps are only effective against us ordinary apprentices. The geniuses are practically on par with formal wizards!"
"The key is, since the academy is using these indigenous forces as a test, killing their leaders will undoubtedly earn us massive points!"
Driven by greed for merit, blind worship of the geniuses, and a gross underestimation of the enemy's strength, the apprentices made their decision.
"Let's go! We're heading to that valley!"
"Even if it's dangerous, sticking with Miss Augusta and Young Master Horn will guarantee us a share of the spoils!"
Fueled by the pursuit of profit, apprentices continued to gather, coordinate, and form ever-larger groups.
(End of the Chapter)
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