Following Adeline's directions, the cave was on a rocky hill west of the colossal forest. After everything was ready, Adeline and Morgan's group moved together, leaving the waterfall and moving towards the cave.
"Since Arcana students are more skilled than Rune students, we must be careful. There is a possibility of other students targeting the contents of the cave," Adeline explained, having not yet fought but already realizing the flame sword form using her magic aura.
Morgan, Lilia, and Albert cleared their throats. Although all the students had been in this forest for two days, it was sure that Adeline had a wealth of information obtained from their seniors. Otherwise, there was no way Adeline would be as confident as she was now.
"Did your seniors tell you all the information about this exam?" asked Morgan.
"Two days before departure, upper-level students from the Viridian dorm came to visit. They don't hesitate to tell everything they know to the new students," Adeline explained.
"That's why the Arcana students had a better understanding of this forest even before we came here," added Adeline.
"Is there a specific purpose why they are helping you?" asked Morgan.
"Inside the Academy, they formed a sect of their own dorms. In a way, the more dorm students that pass, the larger their membership becomes," explained Adeline.
"That's what I know from them. If we can pass this exam, we will join the Viridian sect," replied Adeline.
Adeline turned her head to the side as she watched Morgan's face. The handsome young man was still focusing his eyes forward, alert in case any packs of monsters or groups of students ambushed them at any time.
"Didn't any seniors come to your dorm?" asked Adeline, curious.
Morgan responded by closing his eyes briefly, then shaking his head. The young man had only recently learned that such a thing existed and was allowed by the Academy. However, not a single senior of the former dorm residents had come during the week before the departure.
"It seems like Rune students don't need to bother about such things. After all, Tan Dormitory is a dorm with low-ability residents; most of us are two mark holders," Morgan explained.
"I see," Adeline said.
Even so, Adeline's decision was certain to keep the alliance with Morgan's group. The young man's strength when defeating the twin-headed lion last night was enough to convince her.
CREEK!
"We're close. The monsters are gathering outside the cave," Adeline explained, and Morgan and the others agreed.
Their steps halted after making it out of the forest. The scene before them was a pile of large rocks that formed a sizable hill. Morgan braced himself; he could see a monster behind the rocks.
'Red-winged bats, six-foot pigs, and yellow stinging bees. They're all just second-level monsters,' Morgan stated.
While waiting for the right moment to charge forward, Adeline's steps stopped again as another group of students arrived. They came in alliance or just came as a small group.
"Are you also after the sacred artifacts in the cave, Adeline?" asked a young man from the Cobalt Dorm.
"I didn't expect you to survive the blue-feathered goose's attack. Is your body completely recovered now? I was afraid you'd only come as a burden to my group," Adeline emphasized disdainfully.
The youth glanced at Morgan, as well as at the people behind Morgan. Since Morgan was wearing the rune class uniform, it was easy for the young man to know Morgan's status.
"Tch! Teaming up with Rune students won't help you much. You'll only fail," explained the young man, looking down on Morgan's abilities.
"You!" snapped Albert, disliking seeing others insult Morgan, but Morgan held back Albert's anger.
"You're right. I'm just a very ordinary rune student. What if we make a bet? Surely you won't be afraid of my abilities, right?" asked Morgan, challenging the young man.
"Haha! What are you capable of that you dare to challenge me? You're no match for—"
[Black Pouch Storage:]
[78 Plate]
[8 Second-level Monster Essences]
[2 Fourth-level Monster Essences]
[1 Golden Pattern Rib]
Not hesitating, Morgan showed him the information in the form of an item list in his pouch. Lilia and Albert were surprised. Both of them questioned Morgan's reason for doing that.
"What are you going to do?" asked Adeline.
"Adding to my group's plate, of course," Morgan replied to Adeline.
The youth from the Cobalt Dorm group gulped at the items in Morgan's storage. Some of his group members whispered, saying that the many plates were probably from the two groups that were defeated yesterday.
"So, you're the one who defeated Aiden and Lira's group?" the young man asked.
"Oh, you know them? They're strong, but not strong enough to defeat me," Morgan replied.
The group member whispered back to the young man. He said that if they could defeat Morgan and retake the plate, Jake would give them a big reward.
The group leader's name was Denis. Realizing the opportunity to get a big prize from Jake made Denis not afraid to bet with Morgan.
"This is interesting," explained Denis.
"All right. We'll take the bet. If you can get what's inside, I'll hand you everything in this pouch," Denis explained firmly.
'Good. You've fallen for my bait,' Morgan explained.
"If I get to it first, hand over everything in your pocket to me," Denis countered.
"It's pretty risky, Morgan. We don't know what's in the cave," explained Albert.
"Albert is right. Don't bet on this. We can defeat Denis' group easily," Adeline explained, agreeing with Albert.
"Take it easy. It's like killing two birds with one stone. We can do it," Morgan replied.
Albert and Lilia swallowed their saliva deeply, scared and nervous about what might happen in this gamble. Denis, unexpectedly, lunged straight ahead and killed the monsters quickly.
'Morgana!' Morgan called out to his inner soul.
[Do you want me to help you again?]
'That is if you don't mind,' Morgan explained.
[You made the bet, why should I bother?]
[Huft!]
[...]
[All right. I won't help fight them. I'll help make it easier for you to track down the monsters.]
[When you're done, I want you to make a gem for me again!]
'Sure. I'll make it earnestly if we succeed,' Morgan explained.
Morgan's eyes closed, which surprised Albert, Lilia, and Adeline. Adeline's eyes narrowed, realizing there was something different about Morgan. However, Adeline could not be sure.
Soon, Morgan opened both eyes wide. Now, he could see the structure of the cave in transparent form. Also, dozens of red dots appeared inside and outside the cave.
"HYAAA!" shouted Denis from inside the cave.
'They encountered great difficulties before reaching the cave's bottom,' Morgan said.
"That's Denis's voice," explained Adeline.
"Morgan!" insisted Albert.
Morgan cleared his throat in agreement, bidding Adeline farewell by saying that he would share the cave's bounty with the girl. Adeline certainly didn't want to continue depending on Morgan. The girl said she would help from behind.
Morgan's group began to move into the cave. Albert and Lilia continued to walk behind Morgan while occasionally pushing away the monsters that attacked them.
Morgan took two Carmine gems from his storage bracelet, giving them to Albert and Lilia to temporarily increase their attack attributes.
[STR+]
"Thanks, Morgan," Albert explained, feeling his strength increase.
"Let's move," Morgan commanded.
After successfully clearing the path to the cave from the monsters, Morgan, Albert, and Adeline went inside. At the same time, Lilia and Nancy focus on retrieving items from the monster carcasses, and Parker protects them.
Morgan saw through his vision there was a trace of magic aura left on the cave floor. Morgan guessed it came from Denis' group, which had walked far away.
The young man stopped his steps when he saw a red dot appear around him. Albert and Adeline immediately went on alert.
Sure enough, red-winged bats emerged from the holes in the cave wall, flying with their sharp claws that could tear through human skin. A magic circle was created above Morgan's palms, unleashing flames that spread widely in the area, making the red-winged bats unable to approach easily.
"Leave the bats to me. You two should go after Denis," Adeline explained. Morgan and Albert agreed.
The two ran back into the depths of the cave cautiously. Through Morgan's eyesight, he did not see any red dots around him.
They stopped walking at a double intersection, the right and left paths. Albert was completely confused about the actual route to the cave chest.
"I found it! HAHA!" shouted Denis, coming from the left-hand route.
"It's not that easy!" said Albert, entering without a second thought.
Morgan was initially about to stop Albert, but at the end of the route, a dead end with two red dots stood still.
"Is it possible that those are—"
"Morgan!" called Adeline. Morgan turned his head.
"Did Denis's group get it?" asked Adeline, a worried look on her face.
Morgan shook his head, unable to confirm whether Denis had gotten the chest. However, Morgan said Denis was on the left route. Suddenly, Adeline and Morgan's team immediately followed the direction of the route.
From afar, Morgan saw Albert preparing magic spells to attack members of Denis' group. Morgan arrived beside Albert and looked straight ahead. There were two unopened chests right behind Denis.
"The winner of this bet is done by fighting!" declared Albert.
"Adeline! Stay out of this if you don't want your dorm destroyed by Jake!" insisted Denis.
"No one will know what happened here if I kill you," stated Adeline.
Morgan stepped forward, spreading his arms to the sides to stop Albert from doing anything reckless. Fighting an Arcana student with Albert's current abilities was asking for bad luck.
"The stakes are whoever finds the chest and opens it will win. You got the chest first, Denis. You have the right to open it," Morgan explained.
Morgan's words startled Albert, Lilia, Adeline, and everyone else in the place. Denis laughed out loud, realizing Morgan had lost the bet.
"After I take all the items in this chest, you have to hand over your black pouch," Denis explained.
"Sure."
Denis opened the chest with both hands. Surprisingly, the chest's contents were not plates or other items but tentacles with sharp teeth. It was no ordinary chest but a monster.
"WHAT?!" screamed Denis, his hands and stomach wrapped around by the powerful green tentacles.
Activating the first crate made the second one activate as well. Green tentacles came out and shackled one of Denis' group members, a girl. They tried to break free but failed because the monster sucked a lot of their mana capacity.
"T-The chest monster?" gasped Albert.
"That's not a real chest. Let's search elsewhere," explained Morgan, turning around and stepping up to lead the group on a right-hand route.
"MORGAN!" shouted Denis, annoyed at being fooled.
Morgan and Adeline's group continued to kill every monster they encountered on the right-hand route. The more monsters that arrived, the more it proved that the real chest was there.
The long journey to the cave base paid off. Morgan and Adeline's group found three chests there. The cave floor was filled with blue rocks, not gems. There was also a clear, calm stream of water that was considered a spring in the cave.
Morgan walked up to the crates. Albert held him back momentarily, fearing it was a crate monster. However, Morgan confidently said that it was not a monster.
Albert let Morgan go. Morgan opened one of the chests and saw that it contained 20 plates. The second chest was opened and contained 3 second-level monster essences, 10 gems consisting of seven carmine and three amethyst, and a red and yellow feather.
The last chest was opened, revealing a small book that looked ancient and worn, quite dusty, with blood stains on some pages.
'What is this book?" asked Morgan.
[It was a sacred artifact]
'Sacred artifact? Wait! Does this mean it can summon servants?' asked Morgan.
[From what I can see, the fluctuation of spirit energy is low. It can definitely be a class B servant spirit]
[Just give it to one of your friends. I don't want more weaklings around me.]
'Am I a weakling too?' asked Morgan, annoyed.
Adeline walked over to Morgan and looked at the notebook. Morgan handed it to the girl, saying he would explain what it was for.
"Hand over the chest's contents to me, Morgan!" shouted Denis, arriving at the back of Morgan's group.
"Denis? It turns out you're still alive. Thankfully, I could get the items inside the pouch," Morgan explained.
"If you want to get it, then come and fight me," Denis challenged.
"Sure. I won't hold back this time."