Chapter 322: Gambling Over Strength (1/2)
“You all are certain that you encountered these three youths of Holy Dawn Academy around the Fourth Western District?”
Kelly, the elite teacher of Abel Academy versed in trickery, had a look of skepticism on his face as his gaze moved from the map in his hand to the two arcane masters before him.
Now that the dark purple smoke covering Fallen Shadow Valley had scattered, the valley was bathed in a warm sunlight. A mere two days had passed since the end of the battle, yet green grass and buds were already beginning to sprout atop the valley once more.
The Office of Special Affairs and Southam Demon Corps had moved extremely quickly during this time. The entire Fallen Shadow Valley and Forest of Evil around it had already been fully explored and mapped. Furthermore, outside of the Abyss of Evil, everything else had been clearly divided and organized into districts.
As a result, as long as one had one of the new maps, it was now very easy to find one’s way.
The two arcane masters before Kelly also wore the robes of Abel Academy, but they were much too young to be teachers. They were likely either graduates or elite senior students.
“We are certain that we encountered that group of youth from Holy Dawn Academy. They stopped there to rest over a day ago. We don’t know where if they are still there, or where they went from there,” the two arcane masters replied in more detail following Kelly’s question.
“So a night has passed since you saw them? And they were over there when you last saw them? Even if we hurry over, it will be at least half a day before we get there, and they probably won’t be there anymore.” Kelly was hesitant as he put away the map in his hands and waved behind him, “Even then, we can probably ask others for more recent news. So let’s hurry over!”
The students of Abel Academy followed after him.
“Ah!”
After leading the Abel Academy team forward for a couple seconds, Kelly seemed to have suddenly remembered something as he turned around and shouted towards the two arcane masters behind him, “Lennon! Wait a moment!”
“Yes? Is there something else? Teacher Kelly,” the arcane master on the left politely asked.
“Let me borrow your Essence Burning Stone for a while. I’ll give it back to you when we leave,” Kelly replied.
“Alright.” The arcane master nodded as he willingly took out a spherical red gemstone and nonchalantly handed it to Kelly.
“So this is the Essence Burning Stone which contains a violent flame which is useful for attacking and defending?”
“With this Essence Burning Stone as well, victory is definitely ours!”
The faces of all the Abel Academy team members lit up in joy.
“Getting happy already? Wait until after we find those youths and get our things back!” Kelly sneered. He continued, “The Moon Echo Sabre is not a particularly powerful and precious artifact, but the Spirit Obstruction Gem is a treasure which can turn a powerful spirit arcane master into a useless piece of trash. The academy only gave it to you because it was afraid that you so-called geniuses would die atop the battlefield without it. We never even considered that you ‘geniuses’ would somehow lose this gem, which has been in our academy for hundreds of years. And not to arcane masters, but to children no less!”
“If you fail to get back the Moon Echo Sabre and Spirit Obstruction Gem, it will be a humiliation which will follow you for the rest of your lives.”
The jovial expressions of the Abel Academy team members immediately twisted as if wracked with pain.
……
……
“That’s Minlur?”
Traveling swiftly, Kelly and the others arrived at the Fourth Western District around noon. Popping sounds rang out from the ground around them as a blazing sun shined down from the sky.
Based on their prior information, Holy Dawn Academy’s team had arrived here the night prior. Nearly a full day had passed since then. As a result, Kelly had been rather certain that they would not encounter their quarry here today, and that they would need to ask around and continue chasing.
But against his expectation, and the expectations of everyone else, a familiar towering figure appeared before them.
A body which contained an immense explosive strength stood on the plain before them. It was undoubtedly Minlur of the Holy Dawn Six Evils.
“Sleeping?”
“Those three fellows are still sleeping!”
Even more shocking to them the appearance of Ayrin, Stingham, and Rinloran’s snoring figures as they approached closer.
Not only were the three sound asleep, their limbs were splayed everywhere and atop each other. Even Rinloran, who so greatly valued cleanliness, seemed to have stopped caring as he even drooled in his sleep.
“They’re this tired?”
“How can they sleep so soundly?”
“They were so energetic and hyper elsewhere, but here in Fallen Shadow Valley, they sleep so deeply?”
The youths of Abel Academy felt an indescribable madness welling up within them as they observed Ayrin, Stingham, and Rinloran’s content expressions.