Chapter 324 Meeting

A few days later, at Noren College No. 13.

A few days ago, Jemin received a brief message from his mentor, Clark, instructing him to go to a designated location in the college area at a specified time.

So today, after finishing his experiment, he crossed the teleportation array and returned to the academy after a long absence.

On the way, a familiar figure came into view.

"Jermin!" Senior Viola maintained her elegant demeanor as always.

However, upon seeing Jemin, she immediately lost her composure, taking a few steps closer and raising her eyebrows slightly: "You also received the old man's message?"

Jemin's eyelids twitched: "You've become so brave now, you even dare to talk about your mentor like that?"

"Ha! I'm a qualified level six wizard now, even an old man can't lecture me like that!" Viola elegantly tossed her long silver-gray hair, but the words that came out of her mouth were completely devoid of elegance.

"My mentor just looks a bit bald, not old, right..." Jemin couldn't help but complain.

"So that's where you're focused? Looks like you share my rebellious spirit! How about it? Want to form an alliance with me to fight against this old man?"

"No! I must refuse!"

Jemin silently dodged Violet's hand, which reached out to put her arm around his shoulder.

Viola immediately adopted a heartbroken expression: "Are you also planning to betray me?"

"..."

Jemin silently took two more steps to the side, afraid that blood would splatter on him.

After exchanging some playful banter, the two finally turned their attention to the important matter at hand.

Jemin answered Viola's initial question: "Professor Clark did send me here, but he didn't specify in the message."

Clark's advisor sent informational communications, not videos.

Moreover, the requested location was not his usual office, but a meeting room with an unfamiliar number, which in itself hinted at something unusual.

“Strange.” Viola stroked her chin, looking inquisitive. “When did the old man learn to keep things a secret? He won’t say a single word in the communication. This isn’t like him.”

Just as Jemin was about to nod in agreement, a sudden idea flashed into his mind.

He thought of the Norn wizard who had descended like a god when they encountered a crisis in the Giant Spirit Realm not long ago.

According to the information he had, Norn, as a powerful level eight wizard, should have been following the level nine wizard and fighting on the front lines against the enemy's main force.

Even if they sent out a distress signal, the regular support would be provided by level eight wizards on leave.

Conversely, the arrival of the wizard Norn to provide support meant that he had already withdrawn from the battlefield.

If it's about rotating shifts, it seems a bit early in terms of timing.

An eighth-level wizard would never leave the core battlefield without a reason.

The return of the wizard Norn in person signifies a possible shift in the battle situation on the front lines.

Or... there might be a new, high-priority mission that requires a powerhouse of his caliber to return and handle personally.

"Hmm?" Viola keenly noticed Jemin's momentary pause and thoughtful look, and immediately became interested. She nudged him lightly with her elbow. "Junior, judging from your expression... do you know some inside information? Come on, share it with your senior!"

After a moment's thought, Jemin decided there was no need to keep this a secret, so he quietly recounted his encounter with Wizard Norn in the Giant Spirit Realm.

"The Wizard Norn? The legendary lord has returned?" Viola's eyes lit up instantly, as if two flames of curiosity had ignited within them.

Before Jieming could finish speaking, she grabbed his collar and pulled him forward, saying, "What are we dawdling for! Let's go! Maybe we can see them up close!"

"Noren Workshop has over 140 academies, how could we possibly see a real person there..."

Jemin was being pulled along like a kite in the wind. He sighed helplessly and could only let her have her way.

This senior's initiative is always so "extraordinary".

Following the communication instructions, they arrived at the designated meeting room.

Pushing open the heavy door, Jieming glanced around and a thought flickered in his mind.

The conference room has clearly been equipped with sophisticated space-expansion technology, making it incredibly spacious enough to accommodate tens of thousands of people without feeling crowded.

Moreover, quite a few wizards are already sitting here.

Looking around, while some faces were familiar, most of them were unfamiliar to Jemin.

Most of the attendees at the meeting were low-level wizards of the second or third rank, their faces showing a mixture of confusion and anticipation.

There are also some higher-level wizards, but judging from the fluctuations in their mental energy, they are not very stable and should have just advanced in a short time.

Those sitting in the front row were people that Jemin knew all too well—they were the mentors who had taught them at Norren Academy.

Still slightly balding and with a serious expression, Instructor Clark was among them, talking quietly with another instructor beside him.

"Looks like a big meeting is about to be held," Jemin thought to himself.

Jemin and Viola went to the front row first and bowed respectfully to their mentor, Clark.

Clark raised his eyelids, glanced at them, and simply nodded slightly, his voice calm and even: "Yes, you're here. Find somewhere to sit."

Even so, the wizards in the hall consciously sat down according to an unspoken rule—from front to back, roughly arranged according to the wizard's rank.

Jemin was already used to this; this hierarchical reverence for knowledge and power was deeply ingrained in the marrow of the wizarding world.

He quietly walked towards the area where the level two wizards gathered and found an inconspicuous spot to sit down.

After they left, Oswaldo, Clark's former soul master, came over and sat down next to him.

Watching Jemin and Viola leave, Clark said with undisguised envy, "Clark, your two students are really something. It's only been a few years, and Viola has already reached level six. And Jemin is even more amazing. He's clearly only a level two wizard, but I could feel a threat from him... Tsk, you're quite the mentor."

Professor Clark glanced at him, his face still expressionless, and simply hummed softly through his nose as a response.

But the slightly relaxed corners of his mouth seemed to reveal a hint of barely perceptible satisfaction.

Viola followed Jemin to the seat he had chosen, but did not sit down immediately.

She bent down with a grin and winked triumphantly at Jieming: "Junior, you just stay here obediently~ I'm going to the front now!"

Jieming was already well aware of his senior's perverse sense of humor, and remained completely unmoved, simply nodding calmly: "Please go ahead, senior."

Seeing that Jemin's reaction was so indifferent, Viola felt bored and sighed like a punctured ball.

With slumped shoulders, he walked to the front row, which belonged to high-level wizards, and casually found an empty seat to sit down.

Soon, the conference room door slowly closed, and no more wizards entered.

The whispers in the hall gradually subsided, and all eyes turned to the stage at the front.

Buzz...

Amid a soft hum, a clear holographic projection lit up above the stage.

A figure materialized from the void; it was none other than the gentle-faced wizard Norren, whose eyes were as deep as the starry sea.

"I am Norn." He spoke, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching the ears of every wizard present, carrying an unquestionable authority.

A barely suppressed commotion immediately arose in the arena, especially among the lower-level wizards, whose faces were filled with excitement and awe.

Many of them had grown up hearing the name of this wizard Norren, and now, this legendary level eight wizard was actually appearing in front of them in person (albeit as a projection).

The high-ranking wizards at the front also wore expressions of awe, for the higher their rank, the more they understood the vast differences between different levels.

That's not just a gap in strength, but an abyss of wisdom and research ability!

Ignoring the reactions below, Wizard Norn cut straight to the point, his tone decisive: "My return this time is to carry out the highest resolution of the Star Ring Federation."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room as if piercing through everyone's soul: "In response to the increasingly complex and chaotic void situation, the Federation has decided to officially launch the 'Elite Training Program.' Effective immediately, the first batch of elite combat units will be formed, with the core members of each wizarding force as the main members."

Jemin's heart skipped a beat; he knew it!

"Over the years, the many academies of Norren Workshop have accumulated a large number of high-quality talents through elite trials. Now it's time for them to truly come in handy." The Norren Wizard's voice was devoid of any emotion.

"Before you have fully matured, you will be sent to the second-line battlefield. The enemies there may not be as strong as those encountered by the main forces on the front lines, but they are often more cunning and difficult to deal with, and will be the best touchstone for you to hone your skills."

He then briefly mentioned some changes regarding the deployment of high-level wizards and resource allocation, but these were clearly not relevant to the level where Jemin was currently located.

Jemin's attention was now completely focused on the keywords "elite team" and "second-line battlefield".

His mind raced as he began to analyze the situation calmly.

The risks of the second-line battlefield are undoubtedly more manageable compared to the first-line battlefield.

However, "more challenging" means there is a high degree of uncertainty, and conventional methods may be insufficient to cope.

"However, in terms of safety alone, it should be guaranteed, and may even be safer than on the battlefield later in the war?"

After all, in the rear battlefield, although it is called cleaning up the remnants, the wizards in command are not of a very high level.

There will definitely be level eight wizards on the second-line battlefield.

Based on the wizards' modus operandi, they dealt with all the obvious level nine enemies on the front lines of the battlefield.

Therefore, given that there is a level cap on the enemy's level, having an eighth-level wizard stationed on the second-line battlefield can actually significantly improve safety.

"Moreover, by then, my colleagues will all be selected elites, so their strength should be even greater..."

The projection of the wizard Norn explained the specific selection criteria, resource allocation, and preliminary arrangements. In his mind, Jemin had already begun to plan his next research arrangements.

(End of this chapter)