Zachius City

A flash of white light swept past, and Han Shuo and a group of students from the Necromancy Department materialized inside a circular Magic Array filled with magical symbols.

The previous night, Han Shuo had tested it back and forth three times. After discovering that he really could send Little Skeleton to another dimension and summon him back, he had happily returned to put away the money pouch hidden beneath his bed and prepare for the training trip.

Now Han Shuo's face was full of astonishment, his eyes constantly moving as he carefully examined the Magic Array around him. The entire Magic Array was circular, with an enormous six-pointed star on the stone beneath his feet. Several magic pillars around its edges were carved with exquisite magical patterns, and faint magical fluctuations emanated from the entire Magic Array.

A moment earlier, Han Shuo had still been at the Babylon Academy of Magic and Martial Arts. After he had taken his place inside a similar teleportation formation, it had activated. He had felt powerful magical fluctuations fill his surroundings, and then, with a flash of white light, he had appeared here.

From the students beside him, Han Shuo learned that this was a Magic Teleportation Array. Such arrays were extremely valuable and very complicated to construct. Even accomplished mages needed a great many magical materials to set one up.

"Stop staring. The Magic Teleportation Array is amazing, but there's no need to make such a fuss!" Lisa, beside him, could not help speaking when she saw Han Shuo looking blankly around.

Magic really is amazing. Although Han Shuo had heard about Magic Teleportation Arrays, this was his first experience with one, so naturally he found it rather incredible. Only after carefully examining the surroundings of the Magic Array did he stop looking.

Han Shuo knew that, with his barely rudimentary knowledge of magic, setting up a teleportation array was out of the question. Even if someone explained the principles of the Magic Array to him, he certainly would not understand them.

Moreover, constructing an array like this required an enormous quantity of magical materials. Even the empire could not install one in every city. Every activation of a Magic Teleportation Array also required a considerable amount of energy, beyond what even some ordinary nobles could afford.

Had the Babylon Academy of Magic and Martial Arts not possessed a Magic Teleportation Array, and had Han Shuo not benefited from accompanying these students, he would probably never have had the chance to use one in his lifetime.

This was Zachius City on the border of the Lancelot Empire, the largest city in the empire's southwest. West of Zachius lay Korlan Valley, and beyond Korlan Valley, farther west, was the land where the Orcs lived. South of Zachius lay the Dark Forest. Within that vast forest lived all manner of powerful magical beasts, as well as the nature-worshipping Elves.

Zachius had never been a peaceful place. The empire had stationed large numbers of troops there to defend against invasions by the savage Orcs. The lands where the Orcs lived were said to be extremely barren, and the savage Orcs had always wanted to occupy the fertile lands of the Lancelot Empire. As the empire's largest defensive stronghold in the southwest, Zachius naturally received frequent attention from the Orcs.

The Dark Forest was no peaceful place either. Although the Elves, who believed in peace and nature, had fairly amicable relations with the empire, magical beasts from the Dark Forest often left it and appeared in nearby villages, leaving some of the surrounding villages far from peaceful.

Perhaps it was precisely because Zachius was so unsettled that the empire had spent an enormous sum building this Magic Teleportation Array within the city to facilitate contact between the empire and Zachius City. However, using the array consumed too much energy, and the number of people it could transport was limited, so it simply could not support large-scale military deployments.

Zachius City's unusual location had made it an adventurer's paradise. All kinds of merchants and adventurers longed to come here to seek their fortunes.

The Magic Beast Cores, bones, hides, and flesh of the Dark Forest's magical beasts, priceless magical equipment forged by the Elves, precious gems produced by the impoverished Orcs, and many other goods capable of yielding handsome profits were all targets for these fortune seekers.

"Honored mages, welcome to Zachius City. I hope you enjoy your stay and obtain what you need!" Beside the Magic Array, an official responsible for managing it bowed humbly to Han Shuo and the others.

"Thank you for your kind words. I'm sure we'll gain what we should." Fanny nodded to him with a smile, then glanced at the students from the Necromancy Department and said softly, "This isn't a peaceful place. Everyone, be careful, and make sure nothing goes wrong. Let's go."

With that, Fanny took the lead and headed out along the street. Like Han Shuo, the students looked curiously around, examining the people and things nearby.

Including the two teachers, Fanny and Gene, along with nine students from the Necromancy Department and Han Shuo, there were only twelve of them in total. Both Fanny and Gene were senior necromancers. Fitch had not come along this time because he was once again attempting to advance to High Mage.

The nine students from the Necromancy Department also varied in strength. Apart from an intermediate mage named Derek, all the others were junior mages or magic apprentices.

The buildings along the street were all built of hard stone. Compared with some buildings elsewhere in the empire, they had less artistic splendor and more solemnity and ruggedness. Because Zachius City frequently faced Orc attacks, not only were its walls built to be exceptionally sturdy, but its buildings also prioritized durability.

Along the way, Han Shuo noticed a great many weapon shops, potion shops, magical item shops, and shops selling food and dry provisions, as well as small taverns offering entertainment, auction houses selling slaves, and trading venues for all kinds of materials.

It seemed that, because of the unusual geography, the merchants all knew which businesses were most profitable. Those entering and leaving these establishments included warriors, knights, mages of various disciplines, thieves, archers, merchants, and bards. There were even some slender, handsome Elves with pointed ears who had clearly come from the Dark Forest.

The cries of street vendors, the beautiful murmuring songs of bards, the neighing of knights' warhorses, and the clash of weapons in fights rose and fell in succession. These sights and sounds went completely beyond Han Shuo's imagination, filling him with wonder and giving him a clearer understanding of this chaotic city.

"There's nothing worth looking at. We need to hurry out of the city before dark. This isn't somewhere we should linger. Our next destination is Doro Town. If we can't get there before dark, we'll have to sleep in the wilderness tonight." Gene called out, urging the students to walk faster.

"Hehe, they're all hothouse flowers. For some of them, this might be their first visit to Zachius City. No wonder they're so curious. Once they're used to it, they won't be so astonished." Fanny's bright eyes swept over everyone. Seeing the keen interest on the faces of several first-time visitors, she could not help saying this with a soft laugh.

"Brian, are you all right carrying so much?" Beside Han Shuo, Lisa frowned as she looked him over and asked.

"Oh? Lisa, when did you start caring so much about Brian? That's not like you!" Bella, a junior mage, looked at Lisa in surprise and spoke in an odd tone.

In accompanying them, Han Shuo was responsible not only for assorted chores but also for the considerable burden of manual labor. Although this world had miraculous Spatial Rings capable of storing things, they were extremely expensive. Not only commoners, but even ordinary nobles found it difficult to obtain one.

None of these Necromancy Department teachers or students had been fortunate enough to acquire a Spatial Ring. Everyone had brought quite a few things for this trip, and as an errand boy, Han Shuo had naturally and dutifully taken on the task of carrying them.

Numerous items were strapped to Han Shuo's back, shoulders, wrists, and even his legs. At first, none of them had thought he could carry so much. But after loading him with many items and discovering that he could still walk easily, they had piled even more onto him in surprise.

Although Han Shuo could have played dumb and carried less, he had not done so, wanting to train his body. Instead, he had readily agreed. Now he was laden with all manner of things, with several bags even hanging around his neck, leaving only his dust-covered face exposed.

"Oh, I'm fine." Han Shuo gave Lisa a slight smile and answered easily. Ever since his "sincere and heartfelt" confession to Lisa in the pit last time, her attitude toward him had changed enormously, and she had begun speaking up for him.

Seeing that Han Shuo failed to appreciate her kindness and had actually answered like that, Lisa gave a soft snort and muttered to herself, "Can't even appreciate a favor. What an idiot."

"We have you to thank for that. If it weren't for your Soul Pain, how could Brian have become so mad and stupid? Still, it's strange. Since then, Brian seems to have grown taller and sturdier, and now he even has so much stamina. Lisa, you really are remarkable!" Bella gave a little exclamation and spoke sarcastically.

"Bella, what business is it of yours? Nobody asked you!" Lisa glanced at Bella and said coldly.

"Hmph, who wants to meddle in your affairs? I was just curious!" Bella snorted and retorted to Lisa.

"All right, all right, behave yourselves. Walk faster and get out of the city. If we don't reach Doro Town before dark, your pampered bodies will have to suffer." Fanny frowned and lightly scolded them, then looked at Han Shuo and asked gently, "Brian, are you really all right?"

Han Shuo nodded with a slight smile and said firmly, "I'm fine. When I eat better, naturally my stamina improves."

At Han Shuo's words, Fanny laughed, showing her teeth, then said, "It seems my request to the academy to improve your meals really did help."

After that, everyone stopped chatting. The students no longer looked around, either, and they all hurried toward the city gate.