Chapter 573: Dark Demon’s Easy Victory (4k)
The monster formed by the gathered “Ghost Butterflies” was a natural nemesis for golems.
It seemed able to ignore the defenses of mana spirits and directly absorb their mana.
Once the mana was depleted, so too was the life of the mana spirit.
The second-year students who followed Dark into the thick forest soon encountered the white-glowing monsters.
The students from the Knight Academy never feared danger, and they initiated with mana summoning.
As first-tier mana spirits were summoned one after another, fierce roars echoed around the forest’s perimeter.
The silent forest finally came alive.
Professor Pavar Jones looked out from the castle tower, her expression filled with joy as she watched the forest.
She had always thought the forest was a good place, but due to some special reasons, the academy had not developed it.
The “Ghost Butterflies” at the edge of the forest served as a protective measure. Once someone entered, it easily triggered their agitation.
And while the “Ghost Butterflies” themselves weren’t aggressive—except for some in the forest—they could only absorb mana and deal with first-tier mana spirits. They lacked other means besides absorbing mana.
Therefore, Professor Jones wasn’t worried about the students’ safety.
If they couldn’t handle creatures like “Ghost Butterflies,” then they hadn’t learned much in over a year!
…
“No!”
Wit Gold watched in horror as his subconsciously summoned “Gigant” was devoured by the monster formed by “Ghost Butterflies.” He let out a slightly panicked cry.
He had wanted to check if anyone was in danger before rushing over.
But before he could see anyone, he found himself in danger.
In front of him was a giant dog-headed creature nearly five meters tall, wielding a hammer covered in tentacles. It smashed the “Gigant’s” head off and then devoured the rest.
“Bzz—”
The dog-headed creature howled and rushed toward Wit.
In a panic, Wit drew another mana card, completing the summon just before the creature reached him.
A massive white python shot out from the summoning circle, slamming into the dog-headed creature.
The creature couldn’t dodge and was hit squarely.
However, the python’s huge head passed right through the creature’s body, emerging from its back.
The “Ghost Butterflies” inside the creature suddenly closed in, trapping the “Radiant Python” with its body. Then, the tentacles on its body surged, transforming into an octopus-like appendage that tightly wrapped around the python.
“Radiant Python, use Sacred Light!”
Seeing the second mana spirit also being consumed by this strange dog-headed creature, Wit broke into a cold sweat and commanded.
Sacred light immediately burst forth from the python’s body.
The dog-headed creature illuminated like a light bulb under the sacred light, emitting blinding white light.
“Oh no!”
Wit’s face paled instantly as he realized what he had done.
Releasing light-based magic in front of a light attribute creature that could absorb mana was like feeding it!
Wit’s Radiant Python had become a power source for the dog-headed creature!
Not only did the creature absorb the sacred light, but it also devoured the Radiant Python’s essence, causing its mana to surge.
Wit clutched the Radiant Python’s mana card and fled!
Even though his deck had been expanded during the break, the Gigant and Radiant Python remained his core three-star mana spirits.
Now, both mana spirits were wiped out in a single encounter, leaving him in a panic.
“So, what exactly is this thing? Why are there such monsters in this forest?”
His lack of knowledge prevented him from understanding the true nature of the giant dog-headed creature, making any counterattack impossible.
He could only run, drawing the “Holy Sword Spell” and “Forbidden Love” in hopes of turning the tide.
But the dog-headed creature, now with increased mana, moved incredibly fast and quickly caught up.
…
Twelve students entered the forest, including Justin Wayne, Andrina, Dark, and Wit, along with four from the Knight Academy, one from the Fool’s Academy, one from the Noble Academy, and two from the Mana Academy.
Among them, the four students outside the Knight Academy entered because they noticed something unusual with the “Ghost Butterflies.”
Their maps had marked the forest with mana symbols.
Eight of them faced similar encounters, identifying and successfully driving away the “Ghost Butterflies,” except for one student from the Mana Academy.
The rest engaged in a tug-of-war with the monsters formed by “Ghost Butterflies.”
Tension spread rapidly.
…
After obtaining three “Ghost Butterflies,” Dark stacked them like paper.
“Ghost Butterflies” were a very unique species. Their bodies resembled elemental life forms, capable of being flattened and rounded, and even parasitizing leaves.
Thus, folding them and putting them in a pocket wouldn’t kill them.
Only after securing them did Dark turn to Andrina, puzzled, “Classmate Andrina, how did you provoke these ‘Ghost Butterflies’?”
“Are they called ‘Ghost Butterflies’?” Andrina patted her chest, still shaken. “I don’t know. I just called out, and suddenly a swarm of these ‘Ghost Butterflies’ emerged from nearby trees. And then… here we are.”
Dark responded kindly, “Adventuring in unfamiliar places isn’t safe, especially underground. It can attract waves of monsters.”
“I know,” Andrina said, averting her gaze, “but this isn’t underground.”
Dark shook his head, “That’s not the point. Doesn’t your experience show enough?”
Andrina replied, “Women talk.”
Seeing her dismissive attitude, Dark lost interest in continuing.
He took out the selection card and examined the map. “Since you’re out of danger, let’s part ways.”
“Wait!” Andrina exclaimed in panic, “Can’t you take me to find the mana symbol?”
Dark raised his mana card and waved it at her, “This isn’t a team game.”
With that, he summoned a demon beast, squeezing every second of its value.
Though the demon beast looked indifferent, it opened the path.
Dark followed closely and quickly left.
Andrina frowned, gritted her teeth, and summoned a new mana spirit, heading in a direction slightly different from Dark’s.
But their goals were the same; even on different paths, they would meet at the destination if neither got lost.
…
The mana symbol on the map was actually close to them.
The complex terrain made it easy to get lost.
Andrina, after regaining composure, didn’t stray far.
Dark, meanwhile, kept to the correct path.
Neither noticed others fleeing until they emerged from different directions onto an open field.
The mana symbol was right before their eyes.
But someone was already standing there!
…
“Justin Wayne?”
Dark named the Knight Academy’s second-year leader, but Justin placed his hand on the mana symbol, eliciting no reaction.
He frowned cautiously and approached.
The mana symbol was a broken stone pillar, seemingly rooted for centuries.
The pillar was cut in half, with a ring passing through the bottom.
A floating blue flame hovered in the ring, emitting a faint mana aura.
Justin Wayne placed his hand on the ring, and blue light from the flame spread up his arm, enveloping him in blue flames.
Dark walked behind him and to the side, noticing his closed eyes, furrowed brows, and beads of sweat forming on his forehead, suggesting he was suffering.
“Another illusion mechanism?”
Dark sensed this but didn’t disturb Justin.
He focused instead on the flame.
As his gaze intensified, a number appeared in the flame: “10.”
Clearly, Justin was the first to reach and activate the mechanism.
Solving it would allow him to collect mana.
Dark walked to the other side of the pillar, glanced at Andrina, and asked, “Do you want to do it, or should I?”
Andrina replied without hesitation, “You do it, I’ll watch.”
“Then I’ll go first.”
Dark ordered the demon beast to step back, then placed his hand on the inner ring, just like Justin Wayne.
The flame within the ring surged, blue light spreading rapidly over his body.
He closed his eyes, and a scene appeared in his mind—a gray stone square with familiar pillars at each corner, each with a ring.
Blue mana flames floated within the rings, illuminating the square’s corners.
Dark stepped into the square, feeling the ground solid beneath his feet.
The sensation was vivid, dispelling any illusion.
He squinted, feeling the cool breeze and sulfur scent in the air.
Suddenly, a long spear plummeted, landing beside his feet.
At the center of the square, a vortex-shaped tunnel slowly appeared, and a monstrous wolf-man emerged!
It was a towering wolf-man with gray fur.
Bent but still over three meters tall, it had thick arms reaching down to its knees, red eyes, and sharp teeth.
Dark grabbed the spear’s handle, his gaze unusually grave.
This was clearly a test.
Pick up the spear and slay the wolf-man!
…
The difficulty was not as high as it seemed.
When Dark pulled the spear from the ground, a force surged into him, making his body more agile and powerful.
“Probably activating three chakras,” the energy filled him, and his eyes narrowed. The spear moved like a dragon!
In just two minutes, the fierce wolf-man was pierced through the throat and pinned to the center.
Dark’s mastery of the spear made this task straightforward.
With the wolf-man dead, the square surrounded by the pillars began to crumble.
Dark opened his eyes.
He met Justin Wayne’s gaze across the square!
“It seems Wayne’s test went well?”
Dark casually asked as he retrieved the “Mana Collector” from his deck.
After a long moment of shock, Justin Wayne said, “What kind of monster did you encounter in the dueling square? Was it a bear?”
“No, it was a wolf-man,” Dark said, bringing the “Mana Collector” close to the blue flame, absorbing the first wisp of mana.
As the number “10” in the flame turned to “9,” he put away the collector, smiling contentedly, “One more to go.”
He then stepped aside, allowing Andrina, visibly tense, to approach and touch the ring, plunging into the illusion.
Three hours, 180 minutes, required collecting one unit of mana every nine minutes for the test.
Andrina clearly wasted more than the standard time.
Exiting midway would waste even more.
But Dark wasn’t concerned.
He waited patiently for five minutes on the open ground.
Justin had long since left the forest.
New students pushed aside vines and stepped onto the clearing.
Andrina suddenly opened her eyes, breathless.
But her expression was excited, indicating she had won in the dueling square.
Dark didn’t linger, choosing a direction and diving back into the forest.
Andrina watched his silhouette disappear, then hurriedly retrieved the “Mana Collector” for collection.
More second-year students arrived after escaping the “Ghost Butterflies.”
The number in the flame continued to decrease.
