"You're really going outside the city to carry out a mission?"
Bosch, the chubby man sitting behind the store counter in the East District of Mosobla City, couldn't help but lean over and ask.
"Just going to deal with a group of Azure Beak Feather that appeared in Ashen Valley outside the city, shouldn't be a problem," Sain replied with a smile.
Even Lena wasn't too worried about Sain's mission for the academy, but the chubby Bosch in front of him showed clear concern.
Although Sain didn't say anything on the surface, he still felt a warm feeling in his heart.
"If I were you, I'd stay inside the city and carry out garrison duty."
"Not only is it safer, but you can also make some money at the city gate. No need to take risks by going out."
"As a formal Dark Magician disciple, this kind of task isn't something you can just easily get," Bosch shook his head.
"Alright, I'm mainly going out this time to test two new spells I've learned."
"Actual combat is much more useful than training in the academy's practice field. Hurry up and give me what I need," Sain urged with a smile.
Although Bosch still didn't understand Sain's decision, he wasn't slow to act.
After some tinkering behind the counter, three black cloth packages appeared in front of Sain.
Inside the three packages were the Iron Phosphate Powder and Sweet Berry that Sain needed.
The former was a relatively common and low-level magic spice that could significantly amplify the power of fire-based magic, but the downside was that it was unstable.
If the timing wasn't right, it could backfire and harm the user.
The latter was a bait that Sain used to lure the underground creatures like Azure Beak Feather.
Only by killing more than 20 of them, could Sain complete this academy mission.
As for the last black cloth package, it wasn't something Sain requested.
When he looked at Bosch with an inquiring gaze, the chubby man waved his hand and said, "This isn't from me, it's from that little girl Merry who left it with me."
"She knows you might be going out to carry out the academy mission recently, so she asked me to give this to you."
Opening the black cloth package, there were two red and one blue small vials lying quietly inside.
Two low-level Restoration Potions and one low-level Antidote were worth more than sixty Black Gold.
Sain currently had a lot of good things in his hands, but there weren't many Black Golds, the common currency in Mosobla City.
Therefore, facing Merry's kindness, Sain hesitated for a moment, but eventually silently accepted it.
"You've been working with Merry lately, and you must have made quite a bit of money, right?" Sain glanced at the chubby Bosch and saw several potions of a similar kind inside this shop, mostly low-level Restoration Potions.
Surprisingly, there was no Antidote, indicating that Merry's success rate in producing Antidotes was not very high.
"No, no, just a small business," the chubby man hastily waved his hand, refusing to disclose how much he had actually made.
Shaking his head, Sain said, "Well then, I'll be on my way. If this mission goes smoothly, I'll come back and take care of your business."
After leaving Bosch, Sain walked straight towards the outskirts of the city.
Mosobla City is enormous, a giant underground city that houses over three hundred thousand people.
Most of these people are humans since Dark Magicians, in essence, are also human beings.
These humans were all kidnapped from the surface, and a few Mental Power-qualified individuals were sent to the Dark Magic Academy as apprentices.
Most of the Mental Power-unqualified humans were abandoned in the city to fend for themselves.
Mosobla City has existed for many years, and over time, these humans have reproduced underground, although the total population has never increased significantly.
In addition to humans, Mosobla City is also inhabited by some Minotaurs, Subterranean Humanoids, and other exotic races that Sain rarely interacts with.
Under the rule of the Dark Magicians, Mosobla City gradually became the center of the nearby underground world.
Despite the usual cruelty and arrogance associated with Dark Magicians, Mosobla City maintained its unique order.
For example, within the city, besides the ruling Dark Magicians, there were hardly any other creatures fighting.
Even the most cunning Subterranean Dwarves had to behave themselves when they arrived in Mosobla City.
There was also a huge arena in the city where these underground creatures could go to resolve any irreconcilable conflicts.
At times, when two powerful creatures fought, Black Magic apprentices or even Dark Magicians were invited to arbitrate.
This could also be considered a unique sight in Mosobla City, showcasing the authority of the Dark Magicians.
After leaving Mosobla City, Sain headed northeast towards his destination.
It wasn't very far, and with a bit of luck, he could return within five days.
...
Ashen Valley.
This is a special area with loose and humid soil. Some lush underground moss grows in this area.
Judging from the density and distribution pattern of these mosses, it is evident that they are artificially planted.
Due to the lack of sunlight and the significantly different soil properties in the underground world compared to the surface, common crops that can be easily grown on the surface cannot thrive in the underground world.
The numerous and diverse underground plants constitute the lowest level of the ecological environment in the underground world.
Whether they are ordinary humans in Mosobla City or the widely distributed subhuman creatures in the underground world, their main food source is still these underground plants that are available.
Even the powerful and rare underground monsters are not all carnivores.
For example, Sain's mission objective, the Azure Beak Feather, is an omnivorous creature that specializes in eating underground plants, including moss.
The Azure Beak Feather is a creature that looks like a bird, less than half a meter in length, and has two narrow green tail feathers.
Most adult Azure Beak Feathers are simply enchanted creatures with a little elemental power in their claws and jaws.
They don't require low-level apprentices, and some entry-level apprentices can kill them with traps or other physical means.
However, unfortunately, Azure Beak Feathers like to gather in flocks, and each Azure Beak Feather group has a population of thirty to fifty.
A single enchanted creature level Azure Beak Feather is nothing, but what if twenty or thirty of them come at you together? Therefore, tasks such as eliminating Azure Beak Feathers are generally assigned to intermediate-level apprentices.
When Sain arrived at Ashen Valley, he not only saw the well-distributed moss fields but also some dilapidated small wooden houses on the side of the fields.
It is the humans from Mosobla City who are responsible for reclaiming this valley.
The lofty Dark Magicians do not shelter and pay attention to these ants for long periods of time.
When these humble and unfortunate underground humans are attacked by underground creatures such as Azure Beak Feathers, they can only turn to the Dark Magic Academy for help.
However, when the Dark Magic Academy sends someone to help is not something they can decide.
As Sain walked into Ashen Valley wearing his iconic black magic robe, several stooped and foul-smelling people quickly ran out of the dilapidated small wooden houses.