"Snake Shadow!"
Red Knight Myrcella frowned, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes. She had heard of this notorious assassin organization that operated in the Lost Continent. Snake Shadow had an ancient history in the Lost Continent.
It was said that as long as the employer could pay a sufficient price, even a king could become a target for Snake Shadow's assassins. In history, the seventh king of the Swamp Dukedom was assassinated by Snake Shadow.
In the Lost Continent, Snake Shadow was infamous, and it sent shivers down people's spines. The major kingdoms had tried to eradicate it through joint efforts, but the organization remained elusive.
Now, Snake Shadow's assassins had appeared in the Birch Forest.
Myrcella's expression became solemn. She looked at the pale Evelyn and thoughtfully gazed at her.
"It seems that Evelyn has a significant background!"
Next to her, Sauron's mind was racing. The fact that Evelyn had been targeted by Snake Shadow indicated her identity was not simple.
Evelyn had joined Holy Splendor Knight Academy as a commoner. Her innate talent as a Knight was not outstanding, and her personality was shy. However, she was intelligent and showed the potential to become a scholar. Therefore, most of the time, she stayed close to Instructor Martha.
There were rumors that Goliath, the talented commoner, admired Evelyn, often accompanying her. But the way Goliath addressed Evelyn during the recent attack did not match this narrative.
"Royalty?"
Sauron's eyes flashed. Goliath had referred to Evelyn as "Your Highness." This implied that Evelyn's true identity might be related to the royal family.
"Myrcella, Lady!"
While Sauron was contemplating, several students rushed over. One of them said solemnly, "The beast tide in the Birch Forest has been suppressed. Instructor Raymond is leading the treatment for the injured students."
Upon hearing this, Myrcella's expression remained unchanged. She walked to Evelyn's side, ensuring her safety. Then, she gave a few instructions to Goliath before escorting Evelyn out of the Birch Forest.
Sauron raised an eyebrow. After the recent beast tide incident and the attempted assassination, the Spring Hunt Trial would likely end early. The orchestrated chaos in the Birch Forest and the frenzied mountain berserker bear were probably Snake Shadow's schemes to assassinate Evelyn, and they almost succeeded.
"Your name is Sauron, right?"
At this moment, Goliath suddenly spoke, "Thanks to you just now. If you hadn't acted in time, I might not have been able to handle those three assassins."
"It should be so," Sauron slightly nodded.
"Regardless, you've made a great contribution this time!"
Goliath looked deeply at Sauron. Both being students of Holy Splendor Knight Academy, he was not unfamiliar with Sauron and the things happening around him. However, Goliath didn't expect that the once inconspicuous Sauron had already advanced to the Knight realm.
"Let's go, head to Instructor Raymond."
Goliath shook his head and signaled Sauron to follow. The Spring Hunt Trial had sent not only Myrcella but also Instructor Raymond as the Chief-In-Charge.
In the depths of the Birch Forest:
In a vast clearing, broken trees scattered around. Instructor Raymond and a group of students surrounded the corpse of the mountain berserker bear, which lay in the center.
Looking at the bear's corpse, Sauron's heart trembled. It was hard to imagine how such a terrifying monster had been killed.
"It's Blood Fury Grass Powder!"
Instructor Raymond squatted next to the corpse, examining the bear's nose and finding traces of red powder. His face showed a grave expression.
Blood Fury Grass, a very rare plant. Once consumed by humans or wild beasts, it would induce a state of frenzied excitement. The frenzied state of the mountain berserker bear and the beast tide in the Birch Forest were likely caused by this substance.
"Carefully planned!"
Sauron sighed. The assassination attempt by Snake Shadow was evidently premeditated. They triggered the beast tide using the Blood Fury Grass Powder and took advantage of Myrcella and Instructor Raymond being occupied with the mountain berserker bear. The three assassins then attacked in two waves, with the first wave drawing Goliath away.
The second wave, if not for Sauron's timely intervention, would likely have succeeded in Snake Shadow's plan.
"Amazing sword technique!"
Instructor Raymond couldn't help but sigh as he looked at the injuries on the mountain berserker bear's chest. As the most powerful magical creature in the Birch Forest, the mountain berserker bear was comparable to an intermediate-level Knight.
Due to the Blood Fury Grass Powder-induced frenzy, its destructive power had increased even further. Yet, Myrcella had killed it with just a few moves.
The terrifying swordsmanship left Instructor Raymond in awe, especially considering Myrcella's age. It indicated a high potential for future growth.
"Phil, find a few students to transport the mountain berserker bear's corpse back to the academy."
Instructor Raymond instructed, then turned to look in the direction Myrcella and Evelyn had left, a complex expression on his face.
"Fortunately, nothing serious happened; otherwise, it would have been troublesome!"
Instructor Raymond sighed, feeling relieved when he thought about Evelyn's identity. The failed assassination attempt by Snake Shadow was a fortunate outcome.
...
In the blink of an eye, night fell.
Due to the beast tide in the Birch Forest, this year's Spring Hunt Trial ended prematurely. Under the leadership of Instructor Raymond, the students returned to the capital.
At this moment, in a mansion in the capital:
In a lavishly decorated room, a woman sat on a chair. Her face was exceptionally beautiful, with long black hair flowing down her shoulders. She wore a light, thin robe that accentuated her graceful figure.
"So, the assassins from Snake Shadow appeared in the Birch Forest?"
Hestoria frowned slightly, a trace of coldness in her eyes. She spoke faintly, "And Holy Splendor Knight Academy was completely unaware?"
"It seems... that way."
Red Knight Myrcella nodded, saying solemnly, "The beast tide in the Birch Forest and the three assassins were evidently well-planned."
"Perhaps, even before the Spring Hunt Trial began, Snake Shadow had already set their sights on Princess Evelyn!"
"I'm not too worried about Evelyn."
Hestoria shook her head, saying lightly, "That girl has relics from her mother. Dealing with a few assassins is not beyond her capabilities."
"What concerns me is Holy Splendor Academy's attitude!"