"I heard that the population of the frogs in the Marshlands has exploded," Leona replied; her tone no longer playful.
[Calamity-frogs?! Isn't Giza enclosed in a barrier? What are they worried about?] Hugo was confused.
"Isn't that the norm for the middle of the rainy season? Why would the Matriarch personally be on point for such a low-level mission? That doesn't make sense." Amanda replied; her brows furrowed.
"I hear that the frogs' population has increased exponentially by a multiplier of hundreds of individuals in the last two years. Something foreign appears to be interfering with their ecology." Leona replied.
"But we have the barrier. Even if there are millions of frogs or other amphibians, they'll never find Giza Town. The teachers confirmed this. So, why are you worrying yourself with this drivel?" Nadia countered.
Leonna just sighed in resignation and started looking around like she was checking to see whether there was anyone else within earshot.
"Come closer." She beckoned the others.
"What is it?" Amanda whispered.
Hugo also moved closer to the tightly knit circle of girls since he was finding it harder to eavesdrop on their conversation.
"My sister heard from the Quartermaster that the barrier may fade within the next four to five years." She muttered; her voice earnest.
"What???" The girls exclaimed in unison.
[What?] Hugo was flabbergasted.
[Why is it that the first conversation I spy on is filled with such mind-numbing information?] Hugo mused as he moved even closer to the girls who had suppressed their voices to whispers.
"Let me get this straight. The Quartermaster disclosed this critical information to Olivia. Isn't that against the Oaths of the Church?" Camilla, the tall blond girl whispered; her expression laced with doubt as she locked eyes with Leona.
"Camilla! I assure you that this is already known to all higher-ups of the Church. Some of the high-profile members of the Clergy are even debating on whether or not to evacuate the whole population of Giza." Leona replied; her tone solemn.
"Is this true? And even the Matriarch supports this?", Camilla was still doubtful.
"The Matriarch seems to believe that a Giza without a barrier would be the perfect training ground for young members of the Dark Church. You can try asking your teacher about this. She must also be in the know." Leona replied.
"Let's stop this discussion for now. We may get into trouble if we continue. Annah should already be waiting for us at the gate to the Arena." Camilla interjected before the others could ask any more questions.
The other girls appeared to still be hungry for more gossip. Hugo was the same.
"Okay… Okay. We'll discuss this after leaving for the Dark Forest next week." Camilla added after noticing the dejected looks on the others' faces.
[Would there be any consequences from losing the barrier?] Hugo pondered as he watched the receding group of girls. Leona and the rest were now almost entering the gates of the Arena.
[Will a horde of calamity-frogs attack the town? ] Hugo was tickled by that thought almost to the point of bursting into laughter.
[But what if what they were saying is actually true?] Hugo brows were creased as he considered the likelihood. The probability of the occurrence wasn't entirely zero.
[Where there's smoke there's always a fire… I should follow the girls on their expedition to the Dark Forest next week. Maybe I'll get more hints.] Hugo resolved.
[The girl Amanda lives on the same street as us. I can follow her around to determine the date and time of their departure.] Hugo mused as a grin outlined his invisible face. Life had started to become less boring since he became mystic.
[But before that, I should try my best to increase my mystic-powers. Trying to open the mana channels in my legs and arms, and stepping into the scholar realm before next week should be the right way.]
Hugo had great confidence in his capability to open up the major mana channels within a short while. And according to the Kratos-Body-Yoga manual, he could step right into the mystic-scholar realm after opening the mana channels in his limbs.
Opening the mana channels in the limbs would create conduits for mana to flow from the aorta and vena-cava channels into the feet and hands of the mystic.
Once these conduits were shaped, Hugo would be able to master abilities such as casting agility-type enhancing spells on the soles of his feet which would help him achieve the speed of a cheetah when running.
He would also be able to weave spells using his hands; an ability that granted him the use of mystic artifacts in fights with adversaries.
[To the Arena first. After watching the fights, I should be able to determine whether I can survive in the Dark Forest while stalking… ah no… following the girls.] Hugo deliberated while his invisible silhouette advanced towards the arena's western gate.
The gate of the Arena was an imposing wrought steel affair with spikes at the very top. It was over three times the height of a man and fabricated from warped black rods adorned with pointed barbs.
Two middle-aged men in the signature black gowns of wardens of the Dark Church stood before the gates inspecting the tokens of those entering the arena.
Hugo waited patiently nearby the gate, and in a few minutes, he followed a group of young mystics entering the arena. The whole process was simple and easy peasy since no strict security measures were being enforced at the gate.
After all, Giza was a town consisting solely of the members or devout believers of the Dark Church and their families. Therefore, security checks would be conducted before the mystics entered Giza Town, not after.
And no mystic would waste his time sneaking into the arena like the underage Hugo.
Why would they sneak in when they could just walk in?
[Is this because they don't expect commoners without mystic powers to enter?] Hugo mused as he entered the gates of the Arena.
Once he stepped inside the arena, the noise completely engulfed him, seizing his brain and rendering any logical thought or deduction impossible. Hugo's mouth was agape as he observed the chaos around him.
He was surrounded by the great bulk of the Arena, with hundreds of spectators filling up a large part of the terrace.
[All this time, such crowds have existed in Giza?] Hugo marveled as he advanced like a ghost towards a corner of the amphitheater.
Although he was still shielded by the invisibility granted by the Cloak of Thanatos, he needed to be wary of meeting powerful mystics at the level of the Matriarch.
"…YE… YE… YE… The Beast… The Beast… The Beast… Is coming for your head…"
"…The Beast… The Beast… The Beast… Is coming for your arms…"
A chorus of loud cheering started reverberating through every nook and cranny of the arena, transitioning into a wave of insane excitement that washed over the entire crowd.
Hugo felt the crowd's thrill rise even further as two masked mystics walked towards their allocated ends of the arena stage, the reddish-brown sands beneath their feet.
A fight… A fight to the death was about to start in the arena today.