Town Guard Office

Dago arrived at the Academy gates.

There were clearly more guards on duty, and the wizards entering and leaving wore stern, expressionless faces.

He cautiously activated the Detection Technique and scanned several passing wizards. One middle-aged wizard fixed him with a fierce glare.

"Are you looking to die? You actually dared to aim a detection spell at Academy wizards?"

With a sweep of his hand, the middle-aged wizard slid a wand from his sleeve, pointed it at Dago, and shouted.

Seeing energy particles gathering at the wand's tip, Dago raised both hands and hurriedly said, "Sorry, it was a misunderstanding. I didn't know the Academy's rules."

When the middle-aged Apprentice Wizard made no further move, Dago slowly pulled out the Third-Level Apprentice Wizard badge of the Wizard Alliance hanging around his neck.

Only then did the middle-aged Apprentice Wizard's expression ease considerably. He gradually dispersed the energy gathered around his wand and walked toward Dago.

"Kid, watch yourself next time. The situation outside is tense right now. Don't go casually aiming combat spells at your own people," the middle-aged Apprentice Wizard told Dago before hurrying away.

Dago patted his chest and nodded in relief, noticing quite a few people watching the show...

He quickly swiped his identity token at the Academy gate's recognition device and entered the Academy.

Because Ainak Wizard Academy was protected by a massive runic construct, the mortal army's command headquarters for Aina Town had moved into the Academy Castle to prevent hostile forces from carrying out supernatural assassinations.

On his way to the Academy Castle, Dago saw many hurried wizards. The hems of their usually elegant robes were covered in dust, their brows tightly furrowed and their eyes filled with anxiety.

One after another, many Academy wizards had been assigned to protect the villages around the town or intercept the enemy's advance wizard units.

The ashes of Academy wizards were constantly being sent back, most of them people they knew well.

Dago arrived at the Academy Castle and found the temporary Town Guard Office, the unit currently responsible for the military defense around Aina Town.

It was a large room formerly used by the Academy Academic Affairs Office, one Dago had visited before. Two guards wearing chainmail and carrying longswords stood outside the door.

"I need to see the officer inside. I have important intelligence to report," Dago told one of the stone-faced guards.

"No one enters without a warrant," the soldier replied without shifting his gaze, his tone resolute.

Dago's head began to ache. Where was he supposed to get a warrant? He could only stand stupidly outside and think of a solution.

Just then, the middle-aged wizard Dago had met before strode toward the room, preparing to enter.

Dago hurriedly stopped him. "Hello, Wizard. I'm Dago Heka. I have something I'd like to ask your help with."

The middle-aged wizard did not blame Dago. He stopped and said, "Just call me Wizard Raymond. Tell me what it is."

"I have important intelligence I want to report to the officer inside."

"Fine. Since you're a Third-Level Apprentice Wizard of the Academy, follow me in."

With that, he signaled for the two guards to step aside and led Dago inside.

Several men dressed as knights in luxurious plate armor sat around a walnut table, pointing at, marking, and writing on an enormous parchment map.

When they saw the middle-aged wizard enter, the men all rose and struck their chests with their right fists.

"Wizard Raymond!" they shouted.

Only then did Dago realize that the middle-aged wizard held quite a high position.

Raymond took the seat at the head of the table, waved for everyone to sit, and looked at Dago standing beside him.

"Speak. What important intelligence do you have?"

Dago took out the Duskblood Council Insignia he had looted from the Black-Robed Wizard and showed it to everyone.

At once, their expressions shifted. Some looked uneasy, some remained calm, and some even gritted their teeth.

"Where did you get that?" Raymond asked calmly.

"In the forest outside town. I live there."

"Did you kill him, or did he escape?"

"I killed him."

"I didn't expect the forest to have someone like you."

Raymond gave Dago an approving look, then quickly walked over to study the huge assembled parchment map.

"Come show me exactly where it was on the map." He raised a hand and beckoned Dago over.

Dago put away the insignia and walked toward the wooden stand holding the map. With everyone watching him, he felt a little nervous.

He examined the map carefully and finally found the approximate location based on the terrain markers.

Dago raised a hand and jabbed at the map. Everyone looked over, and their expressions changed once more.

"They moved in too quickly. Their advance was far too fast," Dago heard Raymond mutter darkly.

"You must speed up the recruitment of militia from the town. Take as many as you can get. Go now."

Raymond immediately issued the order loudly to the knight officers.

Amid a clattering of steel, they strode out of the room.

Only Dago and Raymond remained in the room. Raymond was tracing names across the map.

"Wizard Raymond, now that you know this intelligence, could I ask you to send wizards to guard the forest?" Dago asked softly.

"That isn't realistic, Dago. The forest is too large. We don't have enough people, and we don't have enough time." Raymond kept his attention on the map.

"Then can the Academy take in the people living in the forest?"

"Dago, you've earned merit. Based on the Duskblood Council member you killed, you could serve under me as an adjutant and move into the Academy. As for everyone else, I'm sorry."

Raymond finally looked at Dago, clearly intending to recruit him.

"My friends are in the forest. I can't abandon them," Dago said after a moment of silence.

"How about this? I have a suggestion. The Academy will assign a wizard to join the wizards living in the forest and establish a Forest Patrol. What do you think?" Raymond proposed with a smile.

"That works."

"Good. Wait here for a moment. I'll call him over with a communication crystal."

Raymond took out a white crystal carved with runes. At its center was a perfect large triangle...

On either side of the triangle were two symmetrical heptagonal facets, possessing an exceptionally high degree of purity and transparency.

"Vissel, come to the Town Guard Office," Raymond said into the communication crystal.

More than ten minutes later, a young wizard entered. His platinum-blond short hair flew wildly about, with several strangely violet streaks at the tips...

He performed a disciple's salute toward Raymond.

He gave a slight nod while touching his right hand to his left chest. The gesture symbolized, "With the heart of a wizard as witness, we meet in sincerity."

Without looking at Dago, he directly asked Raymond, "Mentor Raymond, what did you call me here for?"

"Vissel, it's time for you to go out and gain some experience. There happens to be an opportunity. Go with another promising young talent and establish a patrol in the forest outside town."

Raymond spoke slowly, his gaze as calm as still water.

"I will follow your instructions, Mentor." Only then did Vissel cast a sidelong glance at Dago.

"Dago, this is Vissel. He is only seventeen, yet he is already the youngest Third-Level Apprentice Wizard in the Academy's history. I hope the two of you get along well."

After saying that to Dago, Raymond indicated that they could leave and returned his attention to the parchment map.

Dago and Vissel left the room together. As Dago opened the door for Vissel, he took the opportunity to assess him.

While Dago was studying Vissel, Vissel was studying him as well. However, he only gave Dago a casual glance before looking away.

Dago felt that this guy seemed to look down on him. Then again, he was an Academy genius Apprentice Wizard.

"You're Dago, right? Go contact the rats living in the forest and get them to band together first. Come find me tomorrow. I hope you won't hold me back."

Vissel's voice was cold, carrying an unyielding firmness that brooked no argument.

"Fine, Vissel, you heavenly dragon."

Vissel ignored him and turned away.

Dago quickly returned to the forest to find Mariko and tell him the good news. The Academy's willingness to provide help meant they had gained another sliver of hope.

The noon sunlight was shredded by the canopy, scattering in fragments across the clearing around the treehouses.

The iron spit over the bonfire sizzled with oil as monster meat and venison rolled in the flames...

The fragrance filled the air, but it could not dispel the gloom between the gathered wizards' brows.

This gathering had been called by Mariko, and everyone present was a wizard living in the forest.

When Mariko saw Dago arrive, he immediately invited him to sit beside him and took out a parchment map.

"Mariko, everyone's here. If you have something to say, say it. Stop wasting everyone's time," a sharp voice rang out.

Looking up, Dago found that the speaker was a lean middle-aged man who appeared to be in his forties, his face filled with impatience.

Mariko ignored him and spread out the parchment map in his hands. Ten pairs of eyes reflected the firelight as they focused on the red marking on the map.

"The Duskblood Council's vanguard has reached the outskirts of the forest." Mariko's knuckled finger stabbed heavily at the map.

"Then leave every last one of them in the forest." Before the words had fully faded, a young wizard hurled a gnawed bone into the fire. Sparks landed on the spell tattoos on his arm, glowing faintly red.

"Idiot!" One of the middle-aged wizards suddenly spoke. With a light tap of his finger, the bonfire abruptly surged three yards high, startling everyone into taking half a step back.

"If the Duskblood Council dares to deploy in full force, they must already be confident they can defeat the Academy. You want to keep them in the forest? You'd only be delivering sacrifices to them."

He sliced off a piece of crisply roasted meat and chewed it slowly.

The young wizard lost face and loudly retorted to the middle-aged wizard, beginning an argument with him.

Amid the noisy dispute, the silent Dago suddenly raised his pale hand. A biting cold wind rose, and the crowd fell quiet for a moment, calming down considerably.

"Rather than argue about this, solve the problem." Dago pointed at the Academy insignia on his robe. "I've already spoken with the Academy. They're willing to provide help."