Chapter Sixty-Three: Slaughter

“This is destined to be a sleepless night!” Hughes hadn’t expected that the academy, after so much preparation, would conduct the assessment in such haste.

So many people’s fates would be decided in a single night—he had thought it would take several days, but in the end, it was just this?

Hughes carried his bow and moved swiftly through the forest; his powerful physique was entirely unaffected by the weapon, allowing him to travel at speed.

Guided by the moonlight, Hughes could easily orient himself within the woods and took the opportunity to observe the entire forest.

The place covered an area of about two hundred kilometers, its edge marked by a barrier of energy—that was the boundary of this secret realm.

A low hum resounded, spreading like ripples across the forest.

Hughes looked toward the source of the sound; at the northernmost edge of the woods, a swirling portal appeared. It looked to be the very gate through which Hughes had entered.

“The academy did this on purpose!” The moment Hughes saw the vortex gate, he sensed trouble. Its sudden appearance would only accelerate the pace of this contest.

His expression grew grim. The gate would surely draw a crowd, and by the time he made his move, it might be too late.

Hughes decided to head toward the portal and assess the situation before making any decisions.

Unfortunately, he ran into someone along the way.

“Beep! Unnamed: Strength 1.5, Agility 1.9, Constitution 2.03, Spirit 9.65, Rating: Level Three Wizard Apprentice, Status: Healthy.”

Upon seeing these statistics, Hughes silently marveled at his luck—wandering at random, he had encountered one of the elite among the level three apprentices.

He didn’t act rashly, but instead calmly sized up the figure across from him.

Milan was also observing Hughes. When he first caught sight of him, he’d been startled, but upon closer inspection, he was certain he’d made no mistake.

Milan knew of Hughes, after all. Hughes was famed as a prodigy of the century among potion-makers. When Milan had first heard that Hughes could craft natural elixirs, he’d resolved to win him over. Later, however, with Lindsay’s interference and Hughes’s own stance, Milan had decided not to disturb him.

“Greetings, Lord Hughes. Your reputation precedes you!” At this moment, Milan’s noble bearing was unmistakable, and the smile upon his face was immediately disarming.

Hughes regarded this man before him with an impassive face. Though surprised to hear his own name, he betrayed nothing.

Milan, noticing Hughes’s composure, was not offended; he simply withdrew his extended hand with a gentle smile.

“Lord Hughes, I mean you no harm. I only know your name because I once considered inviting you to join me—though nothing ever came of it.” Milan shrugged nonchalantly.

“And so?” Hughes’s gaze remained fixed on the man radiating an air of aristocracy, thinking that he hardly resembled an apprentice wizard.

“Oh! My apologies, how rude of me. I am Milan Ratner.” Milan seemed to recall something and hastened to introduce himself. “I believe we could work together, Lord Hughes. What do you think?” Upon encountering Hughes here, Milan saw a perfect opportunity to recruit him.

Milan believed that though Hughes had come to take the level three apprentice assessment, his strength was likely only that of a newly promoted third-level apprentice. If he helped Hughes, his chances of winning over both Hughes and his family would be much greater.

“How do you propose we cooperate?” Hughes considered for a moment. He found the idea acceptable; after all, he didn’t wish to make an unnecessary enemy.

“There’s hope!” Milan rejoiced inwardly at Hughes’s response. With Hughes’s willingness, half the battle was won already.

“I propose we join forces. I can guarantee you a place in the top ten! What do you say?” Milan was confident that this offer was irresistible.

“And why are you so sure?” Hughes could hardly believe it. Even if Milan was among the best level three apprentices, such a guarantee seemed impossible.

“I have my ways, of course!” Milan smiled confidently.

“This time, the top ten candidates will all receive a Vitality Elixir. As a potion-maker, your mentor must have told you its value. Among the level three apprentices at our academy, the very best have already formed an alliance—eight in total. With you, we’re complete. What do you say?” Milan had laid out his terms, awaiting Hughes’s reply.

“All right, I accept.” Hughes had no reason to refuse; by any measure, it was a windfall for him. With Milan and the other top-ranked apprentices gathered, joining them was a guaranteed ride to success.

He also understood that Milan was interested in his abilities as a potion-maker; had it been anyone else, they would have made a move already.

“We can discuss the details of our partnership elsewhere,” Hughes replied.

“Agreed!” Milan was overjoyed to hear the answer he wanted.

A sudden burst of flame lit the sky—a distant explosion shattered the peace of the moonlit night, and the forest erupted into chaos.

“So someone couldn’t wait to make their move! Let’s go, Hughes, we need to rendezvous with the others!” Milan, hearing the explosion, knew that the true test for the third-level apprentices had just begun.

Hughes followed Milan, weaving through the woods as they made their way to join the others before launching their final assault.

Leading the way, Milan produced a Shadow-Trail Beetle to guide them.

Hughes had read about these insects. They came as a pair: mother and offspring. Within a certain range, the offspring would always seek out its parent.

Following the beetle, the two arrived at a densely vegetated spot.

It must be said, this was an excellent location—close to the vortex gate, yet well hidden.

“Who goes there?” A deep, magnetic voice sounded as Milan and Hughes approached.

“Oni, it’s me—I’ve returned!” Milan hastened to explain, lest someone inside strike first.

“Milan? You’re back.” Upon recognizing Milan’s voice, several figures emerged from the trees.

Seven people stepped out, all dressed in black robes with wide hoods that shrouded their faces, leaving only their mouths visible in the moonlight.

“Who is he?” The man called Oni looked at Hughes, standing beside Milan.

“Oh, he’s joining our group for this operation. I’ve already spoken with him. I hope you’ll all help me this once,” Milan said, lowering his stance.

“Milan, not just anyone can join our team!” a woman’s voice rang out.

The group fell silent upon hearing Milan’s words. Their strengths were comparable, and their gathering was solely for the Vitality Elixir. They had made inquiries beforehand and knew that they were the elite among the academy’s apprentices. No word had reached them of any other standouts.

Now, Milan wanted to add another member—someone whose strength was unknown, but who hardly seemed extraordinary.

“Dilsy, this is Hughes Brooch—you must have heard of him.” With no other choice, Milan revealed Hughes’s identity.

“Hughes? The prodigy potion-maker?” Dilsy had been ready to reject Hughes’s inclusion, but now, hearing his name, she hesitated.

The others reacted the same way; they hadn’t expected that the very potion-maker they’d all hoped to recruit was standing right before them.

“Everyone, please—help me this once, and consider it a favor I, Milan, owe you all!” Seeing their silence, Milan sweetened the deal.

“I agree!”

“So do I!”

One by one, the rest voiced their assent.

Satisfied with their answers, Milan turned his gaze to Oni.

“As long as he doesn’t cause trouble, I have no objections,” Oni finally conceded.

“Rest assured, Oni!” Milan was quick to reply, grateful for Oni’s change of heart.

“Very well! The assessment will end at nine in the morning. Until then, I hope you all remain at your best.” Oni glanced at Hughes, then at the others, offering his instructions. It was clear that this temporary alliance was under his command.