The Three Great Academies, Their First Clash on the Front Lines, a One-Strike Kill, and Ian's Rising Standing!

The Eastern Mountains.

They were a vast offshoot of the White Stone Mountains.

The Eastern Wizard Alliance was entrenched within the mountains, and several defensive lines had already been put in place.

The Elemental Mysteries' Airship arrived first.

Grey Furnace followed.

Ian looked into the distance and saw a formation centered on three large iron-gray Airships approaching slowly from the north.

Rows of Wizards in two-tone iron-gray robes stood on their decks, the emblems at their collars gleaming metallically in the sunlight.

Each emblem depicted a gray furnace.

By comparison, the Airships of Green Shade Wizard Academy looked rather different.

They drifted in from the southeast.

Four streamlined, dark-green Airships spread out in an arc. Their hulls had none of the metallic sheen Ian was used to. Instead, they were made of brown wood, with vines clinging to them.

Even their sterns consisted of countless giant leaves that fanned slowly. They made barely a sound, yet were no slower for it.

"Airships made primarily from living ancient trees and vines. Even their defenses should be natural barriers."

Ian recalled what he had read recently. Green Shade Wizard Academy stood apart from the others in the White Stone Territory: it belonged to the Nature Wizard School.

Its Alchemy techniques and branches were unlike those Ian knew.

This really is another world, Ian thought.

Just then, a Wizard flew from each of the Grey Furnace and Green Shade Airships toward the Airship carrying Simon.

Ian glanced up.

He guessed they were the Three Rings Wizards sent by the two Academies.

Three Three Rings Wizards.

They had brought an impressive force this time.

Time passed.

Before long, the two Wizards left again, and Drake was summoned.

As soon as he returned, he gathered all the Wizards and relayed their orders.

"The Eastern Wizard