Thin smoke rose in wisps, curling between the stalactites and stalagmites.
Passing through the ruined gates of Firehammer City, Xieman walked along the devastated streets, his eyes scanning his surroundings.
In the distance, faint sounds of battle could still be heard—sporadic skirmishes within the city. However, the outcome was already decided, and it wouldn't be long before the fighting ended entirely.
The fall of Firehammer City had been remarkably swift.
The dwarves had built their walls from durable Obsidianite, reinforced with molten Froststeel, granting them exceptional resistance to elemental energy. They had also equipped their defenses with an array of siege weapons, including ballistae and trebuchets—equipment so sophisticated it was rarely seen in the underground world.
Unfortunately, their opponent was the unstoppable golem army.
The ballistae and trebuchets were largely ineffective against the golems' impervious bodies. Likewise, the city walls crumbled under the relentless assault of the golem horde.
Led by Adamantite Golems, the army's ferocious assault overwhelmed the city's proud defenses in less than half an hour.
With the walls breached, the golem army surged forward, swiftly crushing Firehammer City's remaining defenders.
Now, the majority of Firehammer City was under Star Alliance control.
The Runemark Knights were busy rooting out the last remnants of resistance. It wouldn't be long before the entire city was secured.
Leaving the mopping-up operations to the knights, Xieman and Artil led a group of wizard apprentices straight to the city's central palace.
To expedite expansion efforts, the Star Alliance's 40+ second-tier wizard apprentices were divided into two groups. Xieman and Artil commanded one faction, while Corei and Ethan led the other. Each faction spearheaded campaigns against native tribes and city-states.
Firehammer City was the seventh city-state conquered by Xieman's forces in the past six months.
The dwarven king had fallen during the siege of the city gates, and their next objective was to claim the wealth hidden within the palace.
With no resistance left, the group stormed into the palace unimpeded.
When they opened the treasury and saw the piles of rare metals and gold coins, the wizard apprentices couldn't help but gasp.
"We hit the jackpot!" one apprentice exclaimed, his face lighting up with excitement.
The others were equally elated.
Their contributions from the war depended not only on the scale and number of city-states conquered but also on the value of the spoils.
The greater the spoils, the higher their contribution points.
Xieman was also pleased.
He quickly stored all the treasures from the treasury into his spatial ring. After thoroughly searching the palace to ensure nothing was overlooked, the group began arranging accommodations.
They would remain in Firehammer City for a few days, waiting for reinforcements to take over the city and replenishing their supplies before moving on to their next target.
Xieman found a study and sat down to write his war report.
Every so often, he summarized the recent battles in a report that would ultimately reach his teacher's desk.
Artil, seated nearby, engaged in casual conversation.
"I heard the Starlight Academy has a crystal ball that can test spiritual and physical aptitude. I'd love to see it in action."
"Once we conquer Spiderweb City, we'll return to the academy, and you'll get your chance," Xieman replied with a smile, pen still moving as he spoke.
When the academy was established, Xieman and Artil had been busy on the battlefield and hadn't yet seen it in person. They only heard bits of news from apprentices traveling between the frontlines and Dragonwood Forest.
However, this situation wouldn't last much longer. The Star Alliance's forces were now within 500 kilometers of Spiderweb City. If everything went smoothly, they would capture it within a year.
When the war ended, they could finally return to see the academy for themselves.
"I also heard that the three new instructors at the academy used to belong to the same wizarding organization as the teacher. Something called the Forest Lodge?" Artil asked, curiosity shining in his eyes.
"They must be exceptional," Xieman said after some thought. "To have worked alongside the teacher, their strength and knowledge must be impressive."
"True," Artil nodded in agreement.
Anyone invited by their teacher to join the academy as an instructor was undoubtedly extraordinary.
"With their guidance, future apprentices will have a much easier time learning."
"Too bad we missed out on that," Artil lamented.
"It's not all bad," Xieman replied with a chuckle. "When we first arrived, there were few people at the base, so we could exchange contribution points for the teacher's personal guidance. That wasn't so bad."
Artil thought about it and agreed. Back then, they could also seek advice from Lady Amy when they encountered difficulties—a privilege the newer apprentices didn't have.
Nowadays, Lady Amy was obsessed with treasure hunting in the underground world and rarely interacted with anyone. Most of the new apprentices had only heard her name and never seen her in person.
"The latest round of aptitude tests ended a few days ago," Artil remarked. "I heard a significant number of candidates passed this time. The academy should see a large influx of new apprentices this year."
"That's a good thing," Xieman said with a faint smile.
With their teacher advancing to wizard status, the Star Alliance's growth had visibly accelerated.
The establishment of Starlight Academy marked the dawn of a new era.
From now on, wizard apprentices would become increasingly active across the continent, participating in more events and becoming known to more people. No longer would they exist only in legends.
The current state of the underground world was a testament to this change.
The Star Alliance's territory now spanned most of the southeastern region. Even in the most remote corners of the underground world, the name of the Star Alliance was well-known, and with it, the reputation of its wizard apprentices.
This scenario would likely repeat in the surface world in the near future.
Although the surface world appeared calm, Xieman knew that the Starry Empire continued to purchase resources from the Star Alliance in bulk. Their increasing demand suggested they were preparing for another war.
It wouldn't be long before the Starry Empire launched a new campaign to unify the southeastern region of the continent.
A dominant empire ruling the southeast would undoubtedly align with the Star Alliance's interests.
When the time came, their teacher might even allow the Star Alliance to intervene.
As Xieman pondered, he was interrupted by hurried footsteps.
A wizard apprentice entered the study.
"Captain, the Runemark Knights have made a new discovery. You'd better come and see."
Curious, Xieman set aside his pen and followed the apprentice, with Artil close behind.
In the palace's central plaza, near the entrance, a group of Dragon Antelopes roamed leisurely.
These majestic creatures had scales that transitioned from reddish-brown to bright gold and wings with a wingspan exceeding nine meters.
The Dragon Antelope Knight Unit, formed during the Star Alliance's expansion hiatus, had only recently begun proving its strength on the battlefield.
Its performance had been dazzling, particularly during the siege of Firehammer City. After the city walls collapsed, the unit's charge broke the dwarves' final defense, securing victory.
Xieman's gaze shifted from the antelopes to a group of knights in the plaza center, led by Corren, one of the deputy captains of the Runemark Knights and commander of the Dragon Antelope Knights.
"Xieman, Artil," Corren greeted them respectfully despite his status as a legendary knight.
"Thank you for your hard work, Captain Corren," Xieman replied politely.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they got to the point.
Corren gestured to a gnome bound in chains nearby.
"This one was found in the city's prison. According to the guards, he escaped from a city-state attacked by the dark elves and was imprisoned by the dwarves upon arriving here."
Corren continued, his tone grave. "When we questioned him, we learned some disturbing news: the dark elves have intensified their offensive in recent months, conquering numerous city-states. The area within 300 kilometers of Spiderweb City is now under their control."
Xieman and Artil exchanged serious looks.
"Dark elves?" Xieman muttered.
Corren nodded. "The gnome claims they wield a powerful monster capable of destroying entire armies."
"A monster?"
Xieman frowned, his thoughts racing.
"I'll include this in my report to the teacher," Xieman decided. "If anyone knows what it is, he will."
As precaution, Xieman also requested reinforcements, including one of the teacher's new high-tier golems, to ensure their success against this new threat.
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