"Why are there so many arrows from this d*mn apprentice?!"
As Fabio's complaint left his lips, an arrow pierced through his throat, blood gushing out. He clutched his throat, gasping for breath, and moments later, he collapsed to the ground.
In an instant, the mental link that had locked onto Charlie was severed, and the tracking fireball lost its target, allowing Charlie to shake it off with a quick turn.
Releasing a breath of endurance, Charlie slumped to the ground, breathing heavily. A tearing pain coursed through his lungs, and the intense exertion had left his muscles severely fatigued. He had persevered thus far with sheer willpower.
Fortunately, the basic agility potion had provided some enhancement, boosting Charlie's agility coefficient to 3.5, three times that of an ordinary person. This allowed him to effectively execute his tactical movements, gradually wearing down Fabio's magical shields with each arrow.
It was also a stroke of luck that Fabio had not fully regained his powers. Had he returned to his Archmage state, this duel would have ended long ago.
In this battle, Charlie had completely validated the tactics devised for him by the chip, and it proved remarkably effective. Additionally, the value of silent spellcasting had been fully realized, filling Charlie with confidence.
After a brief rest, Charlie recovered a bit of his strength. However, the terrifying presence of the Naga lady made him quickly get up and try to awaken the others.
They were not out of danger yet; the wraith summoning array remained intact, and the deep-sea Naga could come ashore at any moment.
After being hit by the Wail of the Banshee, the team's reactions varied. Leon woke from his unconsciousness unharmed, while his sister Ophelia was still dazed, her head heavy and foggy.
Vincent fared worse; he was not only groggy but also showed symptoms of vomiting, remaining in a state of confusion. The team exchanged glances and decided to take a short break to give him more time.
Data provided clarity on their differing reactions. Charlie figured out that the issue stemmed from their physical constitutions. Among the six team members, the average physique coefficient was around 2.7. Leon had the highest at 4.9, with Charlie following at 3.5, thanks in large part to that "Secret Grilled Angolo Rhinoceros Ribs" he had consumed. Qianjue also benefited greatly.
Vincent had the lowest, barely at 1.5, just a bit better than an ordinary person. An ordinary person struck by the Wail of the Banshee would lose half their life, and Vincent, as a mage, performed somewhat better.
This illustrated the importance of physical constitution—not only did it enhance resistance, but it also significantly improved stamina and recovery. Charlie resolved to focus on boosting this aspect of his attributes upon returning.
During this short rest, Charlie searched Fabio's equipment and found only an excellent-grade ring and necklace, without any equipment level. As a former Grand Mage, the simplicity of his gear was hard to believe. It made one wonder why he carried such basic equipment.
However, thinking it over, it was fortunate that his gear was so mediocre; had he had more protective gear, Charlie would have been in danger.
After Leon finished checking Fabio's body, his expression was complex. "Charlie, I really can't believe you took him down by yourself! I take back any disrespectful words I said before."
With that, Leon gave a thumbs up. "Dude, you're the most amazing magic apprentice and marksman I've ever seen!"
Qianjue laughed wryly. "Leon, I was just saying we should have brought Charlie along to see how high-tier mages perform on the battlefield. Now it seems he outperformed all of us! He's practically multi-talented!!"
Ophelia interjected, not understanding what she was hearing. "I think we didn't do well. There were just too many wraiths and their attack patterns were so bizarre. If they were a different type of enemy, it would have been much easier."
"You don't get to choose your enemies," Qianjue shook his head and smiled. "In truth, this can't be used as an excuse; the same attacks applied to Charlie as well."
"Good point!" Leon glanced at him and said, "Charlie, would you be interested in joining our team? We have beautiful ladies with noble elegance."
Leon gestured to Theresa, who huffed and turned away.
"And a cute little sister."
Ophelia huffed in dissatisfaction.
"Plus, there's a dashing gentleman and a reliable captain. What do you think? I'm seriously, sincerely inviting you!"
Charlie smiled but did not commit. "Have you all rested enough? Let's hurry and go! We need to be careful of the wraiths surrounding us!"
At the mention of this, everyone felt a chill and urged those still resting to get up. Leon shouldered Vincent, and the group moved several hundred meters. When they checked the apprentice badge, the teleportation function was lit up. To avoid complications, they all opted to teleport directly back to the academy.
Only at that moment did they feel their souls returning to their bodies, collapsing near the teleportation portal, causing a stir among the surrounding students.
Qianjue said to everyone, "Captain, you go settle the mission at the academy's task platform. I need to report this matter to my teacher, Tony. Vincent will soon be in your care, so please take him to the academy's medical department for treatment."
"Okay."
With that, the team dispersed to attend to their respective tasks.
An hour later, Charlie returned to the apprentice laboratory, feeling utterly exhausted. This battle had taken a toll; the potions consumed were plentiful, the magic power of the withered wooden staff had been depleted, and most critically, the badge's teleportation function had been used, costing him 200 points.
In comparison, the rewards seemed rather paltry. Two pieces of ordinary excellent equipment were listed on the points trading platform, priced at a total of 50 points. After deducting the platform's commission, Charlie would receive at most 45 points.
What a huge loss!
Charlie sighed and returned to his room, collapsing into bed.
…
He had no idea how long he slept when he was awakened by Erin.
Erin timidly said, "A senior is looking for you; he brought a bull's head."
"Ah?!" As Charlie just woke up, his mind still foggy, he mumbled, "Is it Qianjue?"
"No, I don't know him."
Charlie got up, tidied himself, and followed Erin to the laboratory.
"Leon?" Charlie was quite surprised, especially when he saw the massive bull's head weighing over a hundred pounds, with its sharp black horns standing out. Judging by the size and texture of the horns, it must have been a creature over 30 years old.
Charlie couldn't help but laugh in disbelief. "Brother, what the heck are you doing?"
Leon grinned broadly and shouted, "Qianjue said your barbecue is exceptional, not only in flavor but also with special effects. After having a big meal from you, he felt stronger.
Eating and getting stronger—those are two of my favorite things, so I came to ask for your help to roast this. Everyone will eat together, and I've prepared some things as compensation for your hard work; just accept it."
Charlie raised his hand to stop him. "I can help you roast it, but you don't need to offer anything else. We're friends; you shouldn't do that."
Leon chuckled awkwardly. "I can't let you do it for free! After all, we need to include some seasonings!"
"The valuable part isn't the seasoning; it's the recipe. The ingredients are all common materials."
Leon laughed and said, "Then I won't hold back; thanks a lot!"
Roasting such a large bull's head wouldn't have been possible in the past, but now, with mastery over fire magic, Charlie had some methods for cooking it.
While Charlie prepared the materials, Leon said seriously, "In fact, yesterday we really didn't showcase our strength. We were caught off guard.
Qianjue has already stepped into the threshold of a Crescent Moon Mage, capable of casting a few sixth-tier spells. Given him some time and space, he can deal an astonishing amount of damage.
I've also been promoted to a Grand Knight, and fully equipped, my defense is formidable. You should have felt that yesterday.
Theresa possesses the physique of a 'Child of Light,' and her light-based healing magic inherently enhances its effects, making her healing ability outstanding.
Among our team, only my sister and Vincent are slightly weaker. Actually, Vincent isn't particularly weak; he was just heavily suppressed in yesterday's scenario. Wraiths are the natural enemies of frontline fighters, and since he didn't have much magical equipment, he seemed ineffective.
From a data standpoint, our team ranks comfortably in the top ten for third-year students.
Charlie, we need you; you can fill many gaps in our team. Think about it! As long as you join, you'll receive the treatment of a formal member.
In fact, we've already inducted four promising apprentice members in the first and second years; you alone qualify as a formal member."
At this point, Charlie couldn't evade the conversation any longer. He pondered, "Leon, it's not that I have anything against your team; I just want to form my own group. I'm in my first year, and I still have plenty of time. Can you understand?"
Leon sighed and laughed. "I knew it! Every extraordinary person wants to be a leader; that's wonderful!"
Charlie remained silent.
"Brother, if you establish your team, let's form an alliance!"
Charlie didn't ask about the significance of the alliance and simply responded, "Sure!"
Having resolved one concern, Leon sighed in relief, glad that Charlie wasn't becoming part of a competing team, which was a positive outcome.
Leon paused and then his eyes lit up. "Oh! I almost forgot to tell you: the academy's higher-ups highly praised our performance at Fishing Fire Manor. We uncovered the truth buried there and exposed the secrets of the deep-sea Naga, which has greatly benefited the academy. Therefore, the team was rewarded with a total of 2000 points.
Yesterday, our team discussed it and believed your contribution was the greatest, so we decided to allocate 30% of the reward to you, while the remaining 70% will be shared among the others. Do you have any objections to this distribution?"
"That… seems like a bit much! Why not just split it equally?" Charlie replied.
Leon laughed heartily. "That's what you deserve! In fact, we were worried you might think 30% is too little, considering you turned the tide in the final battle. Otherwise, we would have already become Fabio's lost souls.
I've already reported the distribution plan, so 600 points will be directly credited to your account, and you'll receive a magical signal reminder when it happens."
"Alright! Thanks a lot!" Charlie said, feeling grateful.
As they continued their conversation, Charlie felt a renewed sense of purpose and excitement about his future in the academy. Despite the challenges ahead, he knew he had the support of new friends and allies, which made the journey all the more worthwhile.