Annual Trials Begin
Amidst the undercurrents of tension within the Academy City, a secret alliance between the conservative nobles and the Silas Inquisitors grew silently in the shadows, tightening its grip. Delays in supplies, burgeoning resistance, and increasingly sinister prying eyes gradually brought Professor Eleanor back to her senses from her academic frenzy. She realized that the cooperation agreement might not truly offer protection, but could instead drag her and her cherished research into an even deeper vortex.
However, before she could figure out how to deal with this increasingly obvious targeting, another major event that attracted the attention of the entire academy occurred—the Rockefeller Academy of Magic's annual field trial was about to begin.
This is a tradition the academy has maintained for over a century, designed to test the comprehensive abilities of students at all levels, especially the graduating seventh-year students, in a real-world environment. The trial takes place on the edge of the Black Forest west of the academy city, a complex terrain teeming with monsters, fraught with both danger and opportunity.
The announcement instantly ignited the atmosphere throughout the academy, temporarily dispelling the previous controversies and anxieties surrounding the "Eastern Secret Medicine." Students were eager to participate, excitedly discussing team formation strategies, resource preparation, and how to achieve excellent results in the trials, adding a brilliant chapter to their future resumes.
Finn Liver, as a seventh-year student, was naturally on the list for this trial. His feelings about this were quite complex.
"Miss Ling! What should I do?!" Finn cried, slumping against the counter, looking utterly hopeless. "You want me to fight monsters hand-to-hand? Or use those half-baked runes to tickle them? With my skill level, participating in the trial is no different from delivering takeout to monsters—the kind with free shipping!"
The thought of enduring the elements in the Black Forest, facing all sorts of bizarre and biting monsters, made Finn's legs tremble. His greatest combat experience was probably fighting the cauldrons in Ling Yao's shop and the occasional exploding runes.
Ling Yao was counting a small batch of "research-specific" materials that Eleanor had just secretly sent over when she heard this, and without even looking up, said: "Take plenty of talismans. Prepare enough medicine."
“I brought quite a few talismans: ‘Gentle Breeze Talisman,’ ‘Fatigue Relief Talisman,’ ‘Small Fireball Talisman’… though the success rate still depends on my mood.” Finn counted on his fingers, becoming increasingly unsure with each count. “I also prepared medicine; there’s plenty of ‘Ling Clan No. 1’! But I’m still panicking… I heard there were abnormal energy fluctuations in the trial area this time; some big guys might have awakened…”
Ling Yao finally looked up at him, then casually took a small cloth bag from under the counter and tossed it to him. Finn took it, opened it, and found several new runes with noticeably more complex lines and stronger energy fluctuations, as well as several pills sealed in wax pellets of different colors.
"Swiftness Talisman, for use in times of crisis. Concealment Talisman, for avoiding enemies. Pills, one each for detoxification and healing," Ling Yao explained succinctly. "Don't die."
Holding the bag of "life-saving treasures," Finn was moved to tears: "Miss Ling! You are my second parents! With these wonderful things from you, I feel like I can do it again!"
He immediately put his previous worries aside and began to fantasize about the wonderful scene of him dominating the trial, shocking everyone, and then being chosen as a disciple by a great archmage.
On the day the trial began, the academy's central square was bustling with activity, flags waving in the breeze. Students from all grades, dressed in uniforms of different colors, gathered in small groups, chattering excitedly yet nervously. Professors and teaching assistants moved among them, conducting final checks and giving instructions.
Professor Eleanor also appeared in the square; she was one of the few professors who needed to accompany the group to provide potion-making support. She saw Finn mingling in the crowd, hesitated for a moment, then walked over and handed him a small vial of potion that emitted a soft, green glow.
“This is a highly effective antidote, very effective against the poisonous insects and miasma commonly found in the Black Forest.” Eleanor’s tone was still somewhat harsh, but there was a hint of concern in her eyes. “...Be careful, and remember to properly preserve any special plant samples you collect.”
Finn accepted the potion, flattered and grateful. He felt that Professor Silver Bud seemed unusually...human today?
In the shadows not far away, Judge Silas coldly observed the commotion. His gaze lingered briefly on Finn and Eleanor, a chilling smile playing on his lips.
Very good, the pieces are all in place. The fish are about to swim into the carefully laid fishing net.
He whispered a few words to a judge beside him, who nodded and quietly blended into the crowd.
Dean Morris stood on the high platform, delivering his routine pep talk, his voice amplified across the square: "...Remember, the purpose of this trial is to train your will, wisdom, and teamwork! Safety first! If you encounter any danger you cannot handle, immediately fire a signal flare for help! The academy's guards and professors will arrive as soon as possible..."
However, most students were already excited and eager to rush into the forest to prove themselves, ignoring the dean's advice.
With the mobilization concluded and a resounding bugle call sounding, the trial officially began! Like a flood unleashed, the students cheered and shouted as they poured out of the academy gates and headed towards the vast Black Forest.
Finn and his temporary teammates—two mage apprentices of similar skill level, a nervous archer girl constantly checking her bowstring, and a seemingly composed shield warrior—also stumbled into the edge of the forest with the flow of people.
At first, the atmosphere was quite relaxed. Most of the monsters at the edge of the forest were weak and harmless. Occasionally, one or two aggressive tusked boars or a brood of poison dart frogs would jump out, but they were quickly dealt with by the students working together. Finn even had a chance to test his "Gentle Breeze Talisman," successfully blowing a bloodsucking mosquito that tried to pounce on his face ten meters away, earning a perfunctory sigh of praise from his teammates.
"Looks like it's not that hard!" Finn wiped away non-existent sweat, a little smug.
However, as they ventured deeper into the forest, the light gradually dimmed, and the magical aura in the air became increasingly murky and... eerie. An unusual silence began to descend upon them; the chirping of birds and insects seemed to vanish.
"Hey... don't you guys think it's a little too quiet?" the archer girl whispered, gripping her bow tightly.
"What are you afraid of? They're probably scared away by all of us, right?" a mage apprentice said nonchalantly, but his shifty eyes betrayed his unease.
Suddenly, a series of shrill screams and chaotic magical explosions came from ahead!
"What happened?"
"Did the other teams run into trouble?"
"Go and take a look!"
Finn's squad and other nearby squads immediately tensed up and cautiously made their way towards the source of the sound.
After passing through a dense thicket of bushes, the sight before them made everyone gasp in shock!
A five-person squad lay sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain. Their bodies were covered in a strange, viscous substance, like black tar, which seemed to writhe slowly, almost alive, corroding their clothes and skin and emitting a nauseating stench of decay. Even more terrifying, a grayish-black energy emanated from their wounds, rendering their healing potions and spells almost useless!
"It's a Dark Corruption Trap!" The usually composed shield warrior's expression changed drastically. "Be careful! There might be a corrupted mage or a corrupted monster nearby!"
Before the words were even finished, pairs of scarlet eyes suddenly lit up from the surrounding shadows! Low, malicious roars came from all directions!
Dozens of twisted, molting wolves, their fur falling off to reveal their stark white bones, their eyes burning with an evil red light, slowly emerged from the shadows and surrounded several student teams, including Finn's team!
These demonic wolves have clearly undergone a terrible mutation; their speed, strength, and the dark aura emanating from them are far beyond what ordinary demonic wolves can achieve!
"Form ranks! Form ranks now!" the shield warrior roared, raising his shield in an attempt to organize a defense.
But the students were terrified, and their formation was in complete disarray! Arrows were fired haphazardly, and magic missiles flew everywhere, but they could hardly inflict any effective damage on the mutated wolves!
Screams, roars, howls of the dire wolves, and explosions of magic erupted in an instant! The situation spiraled out of control!
Finn turned pale with fright and frantically activated a "small fireball" charm, but the fireball flew off crookedly and almost burned his own archer's butt.
"It's all over! It's really over!" Finn stared blankly at the ferocious mutated wolves pouncing towards him and his classmates on the ground, suffering terribly from the dark matter.
He subconsciously reached for the small cloth bag that Ling Yao had given him.
Danger? This is absolutely a critical moment!
Meanwhile, deeper within the Black Forest, a more clandestine conspiracy was unfolding simultaneously. Several figures, hooded and robed, their faces concealed, were chanting obscure incantations around a strange magic circle radiating intense dark energy. At the center of the circle, a twisted, indescribable shadow was slowly coalescing…
The annual trial has become a meticulously planned feast that leads to disaster.
The danger has only just begun.
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