At precisely seven o'clock, Lynn finally arrived at the assembly point, just barely on time.
This was deep within the Hossens School grounds, and it was only today that Lynn discovered the sect had built an enormous teleportation array here.
"Since everyone is here, enter the array in order. Do you see the squares marked beneath your feet?
"Each of you, choose one square and stand on it, maintain proper spacing."
Anderson, seeing the group complete, directed the Goldthorn apprentices into the teleportation array.
"This large teleportation array was only completed a few days ago. You're lucky otherwise; in past years, even aboard a high-speed flyer, the journey to Silverring Academy would take a full month."
As Anderson spoke, he moved about, inspecting the array.
"On the way to Silverring Academy, you'll undergo four teleports. This first one will take you to a mountain city called Horton.
"You'll stay there for half a day, until around noon, then teleport again to a city called Blackstone.
"The next day at noon, you'll move from Blackstone to the penultimate stop, the Thousand Lakes Wizard Domain. There, you won't have to wait long before taking the final teleport straight to Silverring Academy.
"Along the way, the terrain, climate, and even the people will all change drastically. If you pay attention, it might even be quite an interesting experience…"
As Anderson explained, the Goldthorn apprentices each stepped onto a square.
Lynn's companion, Lucky, who had been registered in advance, likewise stood calmly on the square just to Lynn's left.
"Good morning, Senior Lynn." Leah, with Caroline at her side, stood on the square next to Lucky and greeted him politely.
Excluding those third-rank Goldthorn apprentices who weren't joining the study exchange, there were only about a hundred Hossens Goldthorns standing on the array.
In terms of Lynn's past life, that was just two or three school classes, perhaps not close with one another, but at least all recognizable faces.
"Good morning." Lynn returned the smile.
Outside the teleportation circle, Anderson completed the final inspection procedures.
Standing at the control console, he looked out over the Goldthorn apprentices one last time and said in a steady voice:
"Good luck."
Hum
The teleportation circle flared to life with a faint glow.
In the very next instant, accompanied by a nearly inaudible buzz, the hundred-plus Goldthorn apprentices vanished, leaving behind only faint ripples of spatial energy.
Anderson gazed at the now-empty teleportation array and let out a quiet sigh.
In the past, Hossens would typically send along two or three first-rank wizards as escorts.
But this time was different. For reasons the school called "shortage of manpower," and because these Goldthorn apprentices were being sent as Silverring apprentices rather than as guests, there would be no escorts, only the students themselves.
Lodging, instruction, and treatment would all be identical to those of ordinary Silverring apprentices. Even if a first-rank wizard accompanied them, he would have no way of staying within Silverring Academy for long.
Anderson turned silently and walked away from the teleportation site.
Who knows… how many of them will actually return from Silverring Academy this time…
...
"First-timers on the teleportation array, don't panic. Dizziness is a normal reaction. Please exit the array area quickly and in order!"
Lynn came back to his senses and took in his surroundings.
They stood in an enormous hall. The tall, gray-stone walls rose like those of a cathedral from his previous life, and the circular dome above was adorned with intricate murals and carvings. Sunlight streamed through lofty stained-glass windows, scattering across the floor in dazzling patches of color.
"Please clear the teleportation array quickly."
A wizard apprentice outside the formation kept calling out.
"Come on, let's move out of the circle first."
Morrison, the Goldthorn standing at the front, raised his voice.
Beside him stood the other two Goldthorns, Kaori and Grey.
Since there were no official wizards accompanying them on this trip, these three served as their nominal leaders.
Anderson had stressed this beforehand, so when Morrison gave the order, the apprentices obediently filed out of the array's boundary.
"The next teleport from Horton to Blackstone will be at noon, twelve sharp. It's currently 7:05 in the morning. During this time, do not leave the teleportation hall unless necessary. If you must step out, report to us first."
Morrison led the group out of the teleportation chamber.
Being the oldest of the three Goldthorns and a native of the Hossens School, he naturally took the lead.
Outside was a waiting hall built in the same style but far larger. Instead of the tightly sealed stained-glass windows, it had many broad openings, square or diamond-shaped. Though they looked like gaping holes, magical arrays covered them, regulating airflow and temperature for ventilation and climate control.
Morrison glanced around and guided the group toward a corner.
There, beside a floor-to-ceiling square window, was a balcony open to the sky. As Lynn and the others approached, a vast, tranquil sea of clouds spread out before their eyes.
"Wow…"
A few younger apprentices let out hushed exclamations.
The endless ocean of clouds was a sight impossible to witness in low-lying Emeraldwood City. For many, even some first-rank apprentices, it was their first time seeing such a scene.
After all, most flight spells at the apprentice level were restricted to low altitude; few ever pierced the cloud layer.
"It looks like a snowy plain," Caroline murmured.
Leah nodded, her breath slightly short. She pulled a small vial of potion from her pouch and drank it.
At this altitude, the air was thin. Coming so abruptly from the lowlands of Emeraldwood City, discomfort was inevitable.
Fortunately, Hossens School had prepared them well in advance, explaining these details and providing remedies.
Many apprentices followed Leah's example, sipping potions. Lynn, however, showed no change in expression.
After a moment, he leaned closer to Morrison and asked quietly:
"Lord Morrison, may I step out onto the balcony for a look?"
"Of course, just mind your safety," Morrison nodded.
Lynn acknowledged and walked out onto the balcony.
Inside had been warm and cozy, but the instant he stepped outside, a biting gale struck him. The sea of clouds, calm to the eye, churned at incredible speed beneath the cold winds.
So frigid was this air that any ordinary, unprotected person would succumb to hypothermia in minutes.
"Ah, it's freezing!" Leah and Caroline both shivered violently, exclaiming at once.
After Lynn stepped outside, a few apprentices followed, among them Leah.
"Lord Lynn, aren't you cold?" Leah asked, shivering.
Lynn was still wearing the short apprentice robe suited for the sweltering heat of Emeraldwood City, yet his expression showed no discomfort.
"I've strengthened my body. I can endure for a while," Lynn replied with a faint smile.
"I see." Leah nodded.
Beside her, Caroline trembled. Hearing Lynn's words and seeing his calm demeanor, she froze for a moment, then drew in a deep breath and straightened her posture, forcing herself to look composed.
She, too, had undergone physical strengthening and had already reached the rank of Second Rank. These icy winds couldn't truly harm her.
But being unharmed didn't mean it didn't hurt.
The feeling of cold wind slicing across one's skin like blades was far from pleasant.
"The Frostblade Gales are a specialty of Horton City, you know. They're said to temper the will. These viewing balconies on the teleportation halls were built precisely for travelers to experience them."
A stranger had stepped onto the balcony, smiling as he looked at Caroline.
He wore a thick wizard's robe and a pointed hat. His brown hair curled untidily behind his ears, and his face bore the plain features of a middle-aged man.
"I–is that so…" Caroline replied. She had been trying to maintain a calm expression, but the moment she spoke, she broke her composure and shuddered again.
The stranger did not mock her. Instead, he turned to Lynn, whose face remained tranquil, and remarked in admiration:
"I don't see you using any spell at all. To withstand the Frostblade Gales so easily on your first try, either your senses are dull, or your willpower is extraordinary."
Lynn only smiled, offering no answer.
In truth, a force distinct from both his magic and his White Crow energy was coursing evenly across his skin, warding off the cold entirely.
He felt nothing of the so-called bone-piercing wind.
Black Moon Blood Qi… Lynn thought to himself.
This was the strange power that had manifested once his Black Moon Physique pushed his body to First Rank. It was the natural byproduct of the human body reaching a certain threshold of strength.
This power not only formed a thin barrier across his body, its strength equal to a mid-tier Zero-Ring spell yet nearly effortless to maintain, but also greatly bolstered his physical might.
After testing briefly post-advancement, Lynn found that even a casual punch infused with this blood-qi carried the force of a mid-tier Zero-Ring spell. At full strength, it could rival a high-tier Zero-Ring!
The range of such close combat was limited, but its advantages were obvious: low cost, instantaneous release, devastating speed.
"Could it be you've undergone some sort of ice-resistant body refinement? With that calm look, I almost mistook you for a local," the stranger mused, still impressed.
"What are you all talking about?"
At that moment, Goldthorn Gray stepped outside as well.
He wore a short, gray-black tunic even lighter than Lynn's. Only at the instant he first emerged did his brow furrow slightly; after that, he stood unflinching against the Frostblade Gales.
"Tch…" The stranger glanced at Gray. Realizing the boy was also using no defensive magic yet endured without issue, he drew a sharp breath.
Gray regarded him calmly, then stepped forward to place himself between Leah and the other Second Rank apprentices, effectively screening them from the stranger's approach.
He did so on Morrison's orders.
The older Goldthorn had been the first to notice an unfamiliar wizard stepping onto the balcony and had sent Gray to investigate.
This wasn't the Hossens Wizard Domain, nor anywhere near Silverring Academy. They needed to stay vigilant.
"…I'm just a passing traveler," the stranger said, catching on. He gave a sheepish explanation before turning to leave.
He departed the teleportation hall and slipped into a secluded corner outside. There, he produced a thumb-sized golden insect.
Shaped like a silkworm, the insect uncoiled at his command. Its tiny antennae twitched, and after a moment, it rotated and pointed firmly in one direction.
The coordinates are set. Now all that's left is to wait for the right moment…
…
That morning, the sky had been a boundless sea of clouds and the gales of frost. But by midday, the scene had shifted to endless yellow sands and scorching heat.
The towering gray-white stone buildings had given way to narrow, dark-gray structures built to withstand the brutal swings of day-night temperature.
Since the next teleport wasn't until noon the following day, Morrison led them to a large inn.
The arrangements had already been made, rooms booked in advance. Yet suddenly, trouble arose.
"You just said there were enough rooms. Why are you claiming there aren't now?"
Morrison's voice was cold as he confronted the apprentice servant before him.
The young man wore a polite smile, eyeing the Goldthorn apprentices' obviously foreign garb. He did not explain, only said lightly:
"My apologies, lord, but there are no vacancies now."
Although Blackstone City lay in a barren land, its mana veins were abundant, and with the Blackstone School led by a Third-Rank wizard, its prosperity easily surpassed that of Emeraldwood City.
And in any prosperous region, there were always fools who indulged in petty regional discrimination. The attendant before them was one such person, never realizing that the city's wealth had little to do with the likes of him.
Beside them, Goldthorn apprentice Kaori's face showed anger. She was just about to demand an explanation when a group suddenly filed in through the inn's entrance.
"Step aside."
At the lead was a First-Rank wizard, followed by more than a dozen First-Rank wizard apprentices. The wizard cast a glance at the apprentices in front, his voice calm but commanding.
Morrison frowned slightly and motioned for the Goldthorn apprentices to move aside.
Respecting one's betters was a hard rule of wizarding civilization.
The First-Rank wizard strode forward as if it were only natural, with his apprentices trailing behind.
The attendant immediately hurried forward with deference.
"You must be Lord Moore of the Root School. I hadn't expected you to arrive a day early, but the Gilt Inn has, of course, already prepared rooms for you and your apprentices."
"Mm." Moore gave a faint nod.
Morrison, watching the exchange, quickly understood what had happened.
As he was still considering how to handle the matter, Kaori let out a cold snort:
"So you've given the rooms we reserved to them?!"
The attendant shot Kaori a dismissive glance, ignoring her entirely. He only kept his polite smile fixed on Moore, asking,
"Is there anything else you require, my lord?"
"No."
Behind Moore, a few of the Root apprentices snickered as they looked at Kaori, muttering about "country bumpkin wizards" under their breath.
Kaori's face flushed with anger, and she nearly blurted out the name of the Hossens School. But Morrison stopped her quickly, speaking in haste:
"We'll find another inn."
Their foremost duty was to escort all the Goldthorn apprentices safely to Silverring Academy.
Revealing their Hossens School identity might resolve the issue, or it might stir up more trouble. Who knew how strong the Root School truly was?
Morrison was a cautious man. He had no intention of indulging in prideful quarrels.
This wasn't Emeraldwood City; if they provoked the First-Rank wizard standing before them, rescue from their own school would never arrive in time.
When we return to Emeraldwood, I'll need to report this to Wizard Anderson, Morrison thought.
After all, this was the first time the Hossens School had arranged for apprentices to take this teleportation route. Anderson had been meticulous in his preparations for the journey, but even he had overlooked this one night's lodging.
At Morrison's order, the Goldthorn apprentices slowly began filing out of the inn.
"Don't fall behind, Senior Lynn," Leah called.
"Mm." Lynn nodded, snapping out of his thoughts.
What is this…?
He toyed with a tiny, near-invisible substance he had just discovered clinging to his robes. Casting another glance at the Root School members, he quietly followed the group out.
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