The afternoon sun had already begun descending toward the distant horizon.
Riding atop the Brown Elephant Horse, Ivan quietly followed the wilderness road leading back toward White Ring Saint Academy. Behind him, the poisonous forest gradually receded into the distance as gentle hoofbeats echoed softly along the road.
Two heavy leather satchels hung from both sides of the saddle.
Venom sacs, spider silk glands, hardened carapaces, preserved compound eyes, and numerous other magical materials shifted gently with every movement of the Brown Elephant Horse. Today's hunt had finally come to an end.
Throughout the afternoon, Ivan had successfully eliminated three additional Poison Fang Spider nests.
Two of them were small-sized nests comparable to the first one he had discovered earlier. One possessed a population of eighteen Poison Fang Spiders, while the other possessed twenty-seven. The strongest individuals among them merely possessed strength comparable to High-Level Knight Apprentices.
The final discovery, however, was somewhat unexpected.
Deep within the poisonous forest, Ivan had encountered a medium-sized Poison Fang Spider nest with a population of forty-five spiders. Ordinarily, a medium-sized nest like this would possess between sixty and seventy Poison Fang Spiders, accompanied by two or three individuals possessing Low-Level Knight strength.
However, this particular nest was clearly abnormal.
Almost every Poison Fang Spider within the nest had suffered varying degrees of injuries. Judging from their condition, they had evidently experienced a fierce battle not long before Ivan's arrival.
Among the entire nest, there was only one severely injured Poison Fang Spider possessing the strength of a Low-Level Knight.
The remaining Poison Fang Spiders merely possessed strength comparable to High-Level Knight Apprentices or weaker.
It could be said that Ivan had been rather fortunate.
Had it been an ordinary medium-sized nest, the battle would have been considerably more troublesome. After all, magical creatures possessing the strength of a Low-Level Knight possessed considerable combat strength.
However, Ivan's current physical abilities had already reached the Intermediate Knight realm. Combined with Nova's assistance and the various consumables produced by the Void Furnace, such opponents posed little threat to him.
Throughout the entire operation, the greatest difficulty had never been the battles themselves.
Rather, it was locating suitable targets hidden throughout the poisonous forest. After all, without Nova's continuous detection capabilities, even experienced wizard apprentices would require considerable time and effort merely to locate magical creature nests scattered throughout such a dangerous environment.
Sitting quietly atop the Brown Elephant Horse, Ivan slowly withdrew his gaze from the road ahead before speaking inwardly.
"Nova."
"Conduct an inventory assessment."
Almost immediately, Nova's calm mechanical voice sounded inside his mind.
"Understood, Master."
The next moment, a translucent blue projection quietly appeared before Ivan's eyes as streams of information rapidly flowed across its surface.
"Inventory assessment in progress."
"Assessment complete."
Nova began reporting today's harvest in an orderly manner.
"Master, today's hunting operation consisted of four Poison Fang Spider nests."
"Among them, three were small-sized nests and one was a medium-sized nest."
"Throughout the operation, a total of one hundred and fourteen Poison Fang Spiders have been confirmed killed."
Ivan quietly observed the floating projection before him without interrupting Nova's report.
"Among the total number of confirmed kills, one Poison Fang Spider possessed Low-Level Knight strength."
"Thirteen possessed High-Level Knight Apprentice strength."
"The remaining Poison Fang Spiders possessed strength below the High-Level Knight Apprentice realm."
After a brief pause, Nova continued speaking.
"Due to the use of incendiary grenades during multiple assaults, a considerable portion of the corpses suffered severe damage."
"Twenty-two corpses have been evaluated as possessing no collectible value."
"Ninety-two corpses have been successfully harvested."
"Material preservation rate: eighty-five percent."
Looking at the final figures presented before him, Ivan gave a slight nod.
Although some materials had been damaged during battle, he wasn't disappointed by the losses. After all, compared to magical materials, his own safety naturally possessed greater priority.
Moreover, from another perspective, today's harvest was already sufficiently astonishing.
Ordinarily, missions involving Poison Fang Spider nests required groups of Low-Level Wizard Apprentices possessing considerable combat experience to undertake them together. Even Intermediate Wizard Apprentices frequently formed temporary teams before entering the poisonous forest.
Even then, hunting one or two small-sized nests within a single day was already considered an excellent result.
Ivan, however, was different.
Whether it was Nova's detection capabilities, the Void Furnace's production functions, or his continuously increasing physical strength, every one of them provided him with advantages impossible for ordinary wizard apprentices to possess.
Most importantly, Ivan possessed an advantage ordinary wizard apprentices could never imitate—the Void Furnace.
It allowed him to employ consumables on a large scale during battle without concerning himself with their cost
Although alchemical bombs possessing considerable destructive capabilities certainly existed within the Wizard World, even the lowest-grade alchemical bombs carried price tags beginning at five Low-Level Magic Stones. Very few wizard apprentices would willingly consume such expensive items during ordinary missions.
For most people, doing so would simply outweigh the profits gained from hunting magical creatures.
Ivan, however, possessed no such concerns.
As long as sufficient energy was available, the Void Furnace could continuously manufacture the war consumables he required. From the very beginning, his combat style had been fundamentally different from that of ordinary wizard apprentices.
Silently closing the inventory report before him, Ivan leaned slightly against the saddle.
Today's harvest had undoubtedly exceeded his original expectations.
More importantly, this was merely the beginning.
The numerous resource zones surrounding White Ring Saint Academy possessed countless magical creatures waiting to be discovered. Poison Fang Spiders were merely one among them.
As his strength continued to increase, the value of the magical materials he could obtain would likewise continue increasing.
At that moment, the final rays of sunlight quietly descended beyond the distant horizon.
Meanwhile, the towering outer walls of White Ring Saint Academy gradually appeared before Ivan's eyes.
Several minutes later, Ivan finally arrived before the supply station near the Eastern Outer Gate of White Ring Saint Academy.
Standing silently beneath the evening sky, countless runic inscriptions faintly shimmered across the academy's towering outer walls. Even from a distance, the powerful magical fluctuations released by its defensive formations could still be clearly felt.
Without stopping, Ivan gently pulled the reins and guided the Brown Elephant Horse toward the nearby rental station.
Hearing the approaching hoofbeats, the wizard apprentice responsible for managing the rental station subconsciously raised his head.
However, the first thing that caught his attention wasn't Ivan himself, but the two enormous leather satchels hanging from both sides of the saddle. Only after a brief moment did his eyes slowly shift toward Ivan's face, causing a trace of surprise to immediately appear upon his own.
Although it wasn't uncommon for wizard apprentices to return from missions carrying magical materials, very few returned carrying such a large quantity by themselves. Most traveled in groups, sharing both the burden and the harvest.
After completing the rental process, Ivan returned the Brown Elephant Horse without saying much. Under the somewhat surprised gaze of the wizard apprentice, he calmly lifted both leather satchels onto his shoulders before quietly leaving the rental station.
Carrying the two enormous satchels, Ivan slowly approached the Eastern Outer Gate of The Academy.
Just like when he had departed earlier that morning, the enormous humanoid stone golem silently stood guard before the academy entrance. Numerous runic inscriptions continuously flowed across its stone body while its crimson eyes quietly observed and identified every individual entering and leaving the academy.
As Ivan approached the academy entrance, the crimson light within the stone golem's eyes quietly shifted toward him.
"Identity verification."
A deep mechanical voice quietly sounded before Ivan.
Without hesitation, Ivan immediately presented both his academy badge and mission credentials before the stone golem.
The stone golem silently observed the floating information before quietly completing the verification process.
"Identity confirmed."
"Mission credentials verified."
"Permission granted."
The crimson light within its eyes gradually shifted away from Ivan before once again returning to its duty of identifying every individual entering and leaving the academy.
After passing through the Eastern Outer Gate, Ivan did not immediately return to his dormitory.
Instead, he boarded a flying shuttle and headed directly toward the Central District of White Ring Saint Academy.
Five minutes later, Ivan arrived before the enormous building of the Mission Hall. Wizard apprentices continuously entered and exited through its towering entrance while quietly discussing their recently completed missions and the rewards they had obtained.
Carrying two enormous leather satchels upon his shoulders, Ivan quietly stepped into the Mission Hall.
His appearance immediately attracted quite a few curious gazes.
After all, although it wasn't uncommon for wizard apprentices to return from missions carrying magical materials, very few people would personally carry two enormous leather satchels into the Mission Hall. Most wizard apprentices would purchase storage bags after saving sufficient Magic Stones for convenience.
Consequently, several people merely glanced toward Ivan before withdrawing their gazes. Some simply assumed that he had accumulated magical materials over an extended period before bringing them together to exchange for Magic Stones.
Throughout the entire process, Ivan's expression remained calm. Ignoring the surrounding gazes, he quietly walked toward the mission counters.
After briefly looking around, Ivan quietly stepped into the line before the Twenty-Seventh Mission Counter. Fortunately, there weren't many people waiting there. Only three wizard apprentices currently stood ahead of him, patiently waiting for their turn.
Taking advantage of the brief waiting period, Ivan silently observed his surroundings.
Fixed directly upon every mission counter was an alchemical puppet possessing only its upper body. Its metallic surface was engraved with luminous runic inscriptions, while a single crimson mechanical eye occupied the center of its head.
Unlike ordinary alchemical puppets responsible for simple labor, the puppets employed within the Mission Hall possessed considerably more complicated functions. They were capable of identifying magical materials, evaluating their quality, verifying missions, and calculating corresponding rewards with astonishing precision.
Looking at the rows of alchemical puppets fixed behind the mission counters, Ivan was somewhat surprised inwardly.
Most mission counters responsible for handling wizard apprentices' commissions employed alchemical puppets rather than academy personnel. Evidently, they were both considerably more efficient and considerably more precise when dealing with mission-related matters. Only when materials or mission details exceeded the alchemical puppets' capabilities would Mission Hall personnel personally step forward to conduct further examinations.
After waiting quietly for approximately ten minutes, it was finally Ivan's turn.
The moment he stepped before the counter, the crimson mechanical eye immediately focused upon him. Then, a calm mechanical voice sounded from the alchemical puppet.
"Mission verification."
Without wasting any time, Ivan immediately presented both his academy badge and mission credentials before it. After silently completing the verification process, the crimson light within its mechanical eye flashed slightly.
"Mission verified."
"Please submit the corresponding mission proof and collected materials."
Hearing its response, Ivan gently placed both enormous leather satchels before the counter. Although the satchels appeared considerably larger than the alchemical puppet itself, the mechanical arms extending from its body effortlessly lifted both of them as though they possessed no weight whatsoever.
Soon afterward, one of the leather satchels was quietly placed aside. Meanwhile, the contents of the remaining satchel were immediately emptied before the alchemical puppet.
However, rather than scattering across the mission counter, all of the magical materials quietly floated into the air one by one before arranging themselves neatly around the alchemical puppet. Meanwhile, the crimson mechanical eye occupying the center of its head silently began scanning every material before it.
Venom sacs, venom fangs, spider silk glands, hardened carapaces, compound eyes, and numerous poison-producing organs slowly passed before the alchemical puppet one after another as detailed information continuously appeared upon the runic screen beside it.
The entire evaluation process proceeded with astonishing efficiency. No matter how complicated the materials were, the puppet merely required a brief scan before completing their identification and calculating their corresponding values.
Five minutes quietly passed.
Finally, the last material was returned to the table before the alchemical puppet's mechanical eye dimmed slightly. Then, it slowly raised its head and looked toward Ivan.
"Congratulations, Low-Level Wizard Apprentice Ivan, on successfully completing your mission."
Almost simultaneously, Ivan's academy badge released a faint magical fluctuation. The mission he had accepted earlier had officially been marked as completed.
However, before Ivan could respond, the alchemical puppet continued speaking once again.
"Material evaluation complete."
"A total of ninety-two complete Poison Fang Spider material collections have been confirmed."
The moment those words echoed throughout the surrounding area, quite a few wizard apprentices subconsciously looked toward Ivan. A trace of surprise immediately appeared upon several faces.
Ninety-two complete material collections were undoubtedly considered a considerable harvest for an ordinary wizard apprentice. However, nobody found it particularly unbelievable.
After a brief moment of surprise, most people quickly lost interest. The Mission Hall was a place where mission rewards were exchanged every day, and nobody had the habit of paying excessive attention to another person's harvest.
Meanwhile, the alchemical puppet continued presenting its evaluation report.
"Materials from one Poison Fang Spider possessing Low-Level Knight strength have been confirmed."
"Materials from thirteen Poison Fang Spiders possessing High-Level Knight Apprentice strength have been confirmed."
"Materials from seventy-eight Poison Fang Spiders possessing strength below the High-Level Knight Apprentice realm have been confirmed."
Soon afterward, a magical receipt was transmitted directly to Ivan's academy badge.
After briefly examining the contents of the receipt, Ivan quietly looked toward the detailed report displayed before him.
One Poison Fang Spider Material (Possessing Low-Level Knight Strength):
Five Low-Level Magic Stones.
Thirteen Poison Fang Spider Materials (Possessing High-Level Knight Apprentice Strength):
Twenty-Six Low-Level Magic Stones.
Seventy-Eight Poison Fang Spider Materials (Possessing Strength below the High-Level Knight Apprentice Realm):
Fifteen Low-Level Magic Stones.
Mission Completion Reward:
Five Low-Level Magic Stones.
Total Reward:
Fifty-One Low-Level Magic Stones.
Looking at the final figure displayed before him, even Ivan was somewhat surprised.
Although he had long known that Poison Fang Spider materials possessed considerable value, fifty-one Low-Level Magic Stones still exceeded his original expectations. Especially considering that a considerable portion of the materials had already been destroyed during the battles, today's profit was already extremely satisfying.
Soon afterward, the alchemical puppet slowly opened one of the storage compartments beneath the counter. A small leather pouch quietly floated before Ivan.
"The transaction has been completed successfully."
"Fifty-One Low-Level Magic Stones have been transferred."
After briefly confirming the contents of the leather pouch, Ivan quietly hid it within his robes.
He then selected several magical materials that particularly interested him before paying two Low-Level Magic Stones for them. After placing them back into his leather satchels, Ivan quietly left the Twenty-Seventh Mission Counter.
Throughout the entire process, Ivan's expression did not change in the slightest. However, beneath that seemingly indifferent exterior, he was undeniably satisfied with today's harvest.
This was the first bucket of gold he had earned since arriving within the Wizard World.
Fifty-One Low-Level Magic Stones might not seem particularly significant to official wizards or High-Level Wizard Apprentices, but for an ordinary Low-Level Wizard Apprentice, it was already considered a considerable amount of wealth.
More importantly, this was merely the beginning. With Nova's assistance and the Void Furnace's production capabilities, Ivan was confident that his future harvests would only continue increasing.
After leaving the Mission Hall, Ivan quietly raised his head and looked toward the darkened evening sky.
The academy had already become considerably quieter compared to earlier that afternoon. Only the faint sounds of flying shuttles occasionally passing overhead remained within the night.
Without wasting any more time, Ivan immediately boarded another flying shuttle before heading directly toward his dormitory.