The creature’s crystalline limbs struck the ground where Fernando had stood, sending rock fragments flying as he barely evaded the attack. Unfortunately, Wyne, still injured from his earlier confrontation with the Cult, was caught in the shockwave, coughing up a mouthful of blood. Before he could recover, the Abyssal Myrmidon unleashed a pulse of mana that struck him head-on, tearing through his chest and leaving his lifeless body sprawled on the rocky ground.

  Not stopping with that, the creature attacked again, raising another segmented limb and slamming it down toward Fernando. With a split-second reaction, the old Magus conjured a barrier of condensed mana just in time. A deafening impact rang out as the Abyssal Myrmidon’s claw crashed against the shimmering red shield, cracks spreading like spiderwebs through the protective spell.

  The old Magus gritted his teeth, barely had time to process the loss. Blood dripped from his nose — a sign of overextending his infused mana. He glanced at Wyne’s motionless body and cursed under his breath. “Damn it! What is this thing…?!”

  Victor remained hidden, observing the chaotic battle with calm indifference. It was no surprise that Fernando didn’t recognize the magical beast. After all, even Victor only knew of it from the ancient records within the citadel’s library — a relic dating back to before the Dark Era.

  The creature lunged again, its crystalline arms slicing through the air. Desperation clawed at Fernando’s mind as he scanned the cavern for an escape route. When the attack came, he narrowly sidestepped, but the monstrous limb shattered the barrier and grazed his side, tearing through his robes and drawing blood. Fernando winced, staggering back as pain flared along the wound.

  Realizing that lingering would mean certain death, Fernando took to the air, with his form engulfed in a spiral of flame. The searing heat pushed the Abyssal Myrmidon back, giving him a fleeting moment to escape. Without hesitation, he propelled himself toward the cavern’s exit.

  But before Fernando could successfully get away, Victor made his move. “Trying to run, Fernando? {Time Prison},” he chanted. He wouldn’t let this man slip away.

  Fernando’s eyes widened in terror. In an instant, a violet light enveloped his body, trapping him in a stasis-like state as if frozen in time. His movements ceased entirely, completely halting mid-air. Unable to move, the Abyssal Myrmidon descended on him, plunging its razor-sharp claws into his torso. The sound of bones cracking and flesh tearing filled the air.

  His face remained locked in an expression of disbelief as his body was torn apart, unable to vocalize his final agony. Even though the grotesque sound of crunching meat could be heard, no scream came from Fernando’s lips.

  Since Victor immediately cast a concealment spell on himself and masked his mana fluctuation, the creature didn’t detect him. Hence, sensing no other threats, the Abyssal Myrmidon paid no attention to the hidden observer. Once satisfied with its kill, the creature left the mangled corpse and returned to the lake, disappearing beneath the surface once more.

  Victor stood in silence for half an hour, waiting patiently until he was sure that the Abyssal Myrmidon had truly returned to its slumber. Only when the cavern had once again returned to a state of stillness did he finally dare to let out a quiet breath and lower his concealment spell.

  He glanced at Fernando’s corpse, not too far from him, as well as Wyne’s corpse that was floating on the water. They were clearly dead.

  Shortly after, a melodious ding rang in his mind.

  [Mission Accomplished!]

  [Congratulations on passing the mission. You have successfully uncovered the purpose behind the journey of the scion of a powerful noble family and his guardian, and then reaped the benefits.]

  [The reward (2,000 academy points) has been issued.]

  Victor was satisfied with the reward. Points were always welcome, especially when the risk involved was quite high. Yet, in his mind, the academy points were just a side benefit. The true prize lay right here — this place was a haven for meditation, and he intended to take full advantage of it.

  Naturally, Victor was not so foolish as to meditate in the same spot where Fernando and Wyne had met their demise, especially after witnessing what lurked beneath the lake's surface. As cautious as ever, he quickly surveyed the surroundings once more. Then, without lingering, he made his way toward a more secluded part of the underground lake, where it was far enough so that the Abyssal Myrmidon wouldn’t detect him.

  The spot he chose was a small alcove, partially concealed by jagged rock formations. Victor sat down cross-legged on the smoothest patch of stone and placed his palm on the ground, sending a subtle pulse of mana into the earth, checking for any signs of the creature waking up. Fortunately, the creature remained undisturbed.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Still, Victor wasn’t one to take chances. Just to be safe, he decided to create an extra layer of protection. Channeling his mana, he began tracing intricate patterns on the ground, inscribing a concealment magic spell formation directly onto the rocky floor. He wrote a series of overlapping magic circles, each infused with mana and Cosmo elemental energy. This would both mask his presence and minimize any mana fluctuations that could rouse the beast.

  With his concerns laid to rest, Victor began his meditation, breathing in a controlled, steady rhythm. He cleared his mind, concentrating on the ambience mana as well as the overflowing elemental particles that suffused the cavern. Despite the risk, he couldn’t deny that the place was rich with energy — at least twenty times more potent than utilizing intermediate-grade mana crystals.

  He felt that it would only be a matter of time before he formed his sixth sigil here.

  “And not to mention the elixir…” he murmured.

  Victor took out the elixir that he bought from the auction and held it carefully. He would only use it once he was close to breaking through.

  Lizbeth fluttered through the spacious courtyard of the academy, her wings shimmering faintly as she flew. The sound of bustling activity filled the air as players moved about, forming groups and exchanging information. The recent content update had stirred the entire academy into a frenzy, and as the assistant fairy, it was Lizbeth’s responsibility to keep everything running smoothly, especially when her master was away.

  After making her rounds, she returned to the balcony of the Headmaster’s Office, where she paused to survey the academy grounds with a thoughtful expression. The new guild feature had undoubtedly been the most impactful part of the update. Nearly a dozen players had already formed their own guilds, significantly changing the academy’s social dynamics. With so many guilds forming at once, the players had naturally divided into large groups, each engaging in various activities.

  Many of these newly formed guilds had ventured beyond the academy grounds, establishing bases deep within the Thornwood Forest. Lizbeth wasn’t entirely sure how wise it was to set up base camps so far from the academy’s protective magic barriers, but the players were determined to claim new territories.

  With a flick of her tiny hand, a holographic screen appeared before her, displaying a list of the newly registered guilds and their respective locations. Most of them had chosen spots with natural strategic advantages — caves, hills with clearings, or even remnants of ancient ruins that they had somehow uncovered. One particularly ambitious guild, Auralise’s guild, which was called the Spinula guild, had taken over an old watchtower, reinforcing it and transforming it into a makeshift fort.

  Lizbeth couldn’t help but find it a little amusing. The players seemed to be treating the new guild feature as a sandbox game, building and fortifying their own territories as if preparing for a grand conquest. Of course, there was nothing inherently wrong with this approach. The academy’s rules didn’t prohibit the construction of bases outside the main grounds. On the contrary, these new outposts could prove useful if the academy were ever attacked, expanding the players’ operational range and creating strategic points of defense.

  Of course, not everything was smooth sailing. With the formation of these autonomous groups, clashes between them were inevitable. Each guild was not only striving to establish itself as the best but also competing to secure valuable resources — hunting grounds, newly discovered mines, magical beast nests, and other lucrative spots. Naturally, this struggle for dominance led to frequent disputes.

  She had already dealt with several minor disputes over territory and resource allocation. Some guilds had set up camps too close to each other, leading to friction over hunting rights and access to resource sites. Others were fighting to secure promising guild members for their guilds. The rest were fighting over the chance to borrow or purchase golems to be used to construct their guild bases.

  Fortunately, no incidents of player killing had occurred yet, as the “game” had explicitly prohibited harming fellow acolytes. Anyone who violated the rule would be recorded by the Shadowlink Mark and punished severely. However, Lizbeth couldn’t help but worry that it was only a matter of time before the tensions escalated if nothing was done.

  “I hope Master comes back quickly to take care of this matter…” Lizbeth murmured, glancing longingly at the sky. Even though it had only been four days, she couldn’t help but miss him a little.

  Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand. There was a significant project underway at the academy — the construction of the Magus Tower. Hundreds of players worked tirelessly, collaborating in the construction of the grand building. Furthermore, mechanical golems were used to lift and move heavy materials and reinforced the foundation with remarkable efficiency.

  The blueprint for the Magus tower had come directly from the citadel, meaning it was undoubtedly top-notch in both structure and function. According to the plans, it would serve not only as the primary research facility but also as the residence of the dean appointed to oversee the tower. Moreover, it would become one of the core magic arrays, which would eventually be completed with the addition of eleven other Magus towers.

  However, constructing such an ambitious project also meant that all sorts of rare materials were required. This was where the players came in handy with their trade channels as well as their relentless exploration of the forest, where they had uncovered a myriad of resource points. If not for their resourcefulness and curiosity, gathering the necessary components would have been significantly more challenging.

  Lizbeth occasionally flew down to check on the progress, giving pointers or offering minor assistance where needed. Most of the time, however, the players seemed to be doing just fine on their own. Some of the more creative ones had already proposed additional enhancements, such as embedding runes into the walls to enable various practical functions, including automated defense mechanisms, air conditioning, energy regulation, and what have you.

  Amused by their enthusiasm, Lizbeth couldn’t help but smile. The players’ ingenuity was impressive, and their dedication was apparent. Even if guild rivalries were brewing, seeing them work together for a common goal was oddly reassuring.

  “Master will be pleased when he sees the Magus tower’s completion,” Lizbeth whispered to herself with a hint of pride in her voice. As she continued to oversee the project, she couldn’t help but feel even more hopeful about the academy’s future of becoming the best in the universe.

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