After dinner, Max returned to his room smiling.
"Finally! I can go out!"
Max has joined Ivory Tower for more than a year but he never stepped out since then. Uriel relentless rejected his request to go out even to Dawn City much less the mission in the wilderness.
"Uriel that bitch, she at least can tell me about this. Why so secretive? I need to prepare a lot for the trip outside and finally, I can test the bomb."
Over the year, Max had created a few samples for explosive but he didn't dare to test it inside the tower. He even begged for Uriel's permission to go out but still rejected. The bomb still hasn't gone trial phase. He cannot proceed for more experiments without trial results.
Inside his room, Max sat on the chair and took out the scroll that Uriel gave before. He opened the scroll and found out it is a spell model. It is an ice element spell!
"SECOND! Start scanning!"
[Affirmative! Scanning…Task completed!]
[Ice Puppet.
Description: Create a puppet made from Ice mana.
Prerequisite courses: Ice Mana]
"Ice Puppet? Puppet? What I'm supposed to do with a puppet? I was happy for a moment thinking Uriel finally give Ice spell but a puppet. She at least gives some offensive Ice spell for secret realm but.." Max confused but he still learns it. More spell in his arsenal is always welcome. Apprentice normally only learned two or three spells because of their limited time and spiritual force but Max possesses a cheat known as SECOND that capable of storing spells inside the database. Max can invoke any spell giving the prerequisite is fulfill and enough spirit.
"I need to get back to sword enchantment too. Extra weapon plays a big role there." Max already rested his body and his mental condition already improve hearing the good news.
A week went fast.
A black-haired youth came down a carriage in front of a large gate. He is Max. He wearing a leather armor inside the indigo robe that he personally enchanted with defensive attributes and a long sword strapped at his waist.
"I hope I'm not too late"
Max looked around and there already many peoples waiting at the gate. The scanning result from SECOND shows that almost everyone here is apprentices and mostly are stronger than him. There a few entities that he can't scan. Those should be the Mages.
"I was worried that I dressed weirdly but everyone basically the same outfit. Because our destination is dangerous, I purposely didn't bring any large luggage. All the important things are strapped to his body to the point it not hindering movement."
Max noticed an attractive figure slowly walked toward him.
"You're late" That woman is Uriel with her routine cold face.
"Good morning Master" Max ignored Uriel's glare and smiled normally.
"Take this! Make sure you have it by your side all the time!" Uriel took something from her robe that fails to hide her ravishing figure. She took out a bracelet. It a white bracelet made of pure silver and various runes inscribed on it.
After Max received the bracelet, Uriel walked away leaving Max towards the group where all the Mages standing.
"SECOND! Scan the bracelet! "
[Affirmative!]
A 3D model of the bracelet appeared in front of Max.
"High-grade magic took! It even a defense type! Uriel does care about me after all. She just being tsundere. No! If the conspiracy is correct. then she is yandere! A woman is difficult! " Max sighed.
He now stood alone in the crowd of apprentices. Everyone is in the small group talked together about their destination. He noticed some familiar faces around; there is old 'friend' Bolton chattering loudly with his friends, Nulara and her friends that hired Max for runes calculation and there also Oswald followed by a group of strong apprentices.
Max also observed the two largest groups among the crowd. In the center in each group are two people he knew too; Minerva and Raynard. There are surrounded by many veteran apprentices.
"Curse those who has backing. Both of them joined the same time as me and while I am closing to rank 3, they just promoted to rank 2 a couple months ago. Now they both part of huge faction while I'm alone." Max quietly muttered.
" Does Uriel has too many enemies or she too cold or what? Even now she stood alone and no one come talk to her. Just like me! Uriel's faction probably the weakest inside the academy. I rode the wrong ship. Even though the ship is gorgeous and provides short-term pleasures but.." Max sighed alone.
"Everyone gather here!" A loud voice more like a shout traveled through the crowd. The owner of the voice is a stout man standing among the Mage's group.
"Since the situation happened so suddenly, there isn't enough time for you to prepare. You must make way to the secret realm's entrance as fast as possible! In the secret realm, you will be tasked with a mission. The achievement of the missions this time will also determine your contribution points that you can exchange later. When we arrive there, Elder Garen will explain the concrete rules. Now what you must to do is ride the airship and properly preserve your energy. We will leave soon. As long our tower reaps hefty rewards in the secret realm, you will definitely be heavily rewarded." The stout man was extremely serious as he spoke.
An hour later, a huge white gas suddenly appeared in the sky above the gate surges around. Inside the white gas, one could vaguely make out a body of an enormous ship that was about two hundred meters long.
All the Mages including the large man and Uriel flew to the airship. Max and other apprentices swiftly climbed the later boarding the airship.
The stout man gave a command and the airship shuddered. It proceeds to fly toward the distant horizon at breakneck speed while surrounded by surging white gas.