Translator: AnubisTL
"What's the situation on your end?" Jieming asked.
"Everything's fine here. We got lucky—Victor and I were close when we entered, so we've already reunited. We'll be heading your way soon!" Amy's voice crackled through the communication witchcraft device, followed by Victor's distinct voice.
"But Jieming, be careful! There was a sudden explosion near us when we met up. If we hadn't had Protective Magic active, we'd have been in serious trouble," Amy said, her voice still shaken.
"I didn't expect this plane to be so dangerous. We need to be extra cautious."
Just now? An explosion?
Jieming tapped the screen of his communication witchcraft device, checking the distance between their positions. He mentally traced the trajectory of the energy bullet he'd just deflected, his eyelid twitching uncontrollably.
"Jieming?" Amy asked, her voice tinged with concern after a long silence.
Glancing at the swaying corpse of the giant beast beside him, Jieming cleared his throat, pretending nothing had happened.
"I'll come to you. I can move faster. Is your area secure? If it's safe enough, stay put and don't move. I'll be there shortly!"
"It should be fine. The explosion seems to have scared away the surrounding beasts..."
"Good! I'm on my way!"
Without waiting for Amy's response, Jieming abruptly ended the call, activated his rune-imbued magical artifact, and sprinted toward the coordinates he'd just received.
Deep within the primeval forests of eastern Elosia Continent, a wild and chaotic energy permeated the air.
Today, the jungle was even more alive than usual, with distant screams and the thunderous roar of explosions echoing through the trees.
Jieming wasted no time. Activating his Glimmering Eye, he quickly locked onto two familiar points of light—Amy and Victor.
They weren't far away, their backs pressed against a massive tree, scanning their surroundings with wary eyes, clearly waiting for something.
"Amy! Victor!"
The familiar voice cut through the chaotic forest, causing Amy to whirl around.
When Jieming emerged from the shadows of an ancient giant tree, the tension that had been gripping them finally eased.
"Jieming, you're safe too! Thank goodness!" Amy rushed forward, her eyes shining with relief.
Victor staggered over, his face pale, likely from being caught in the recent explosion. "You finally made it!"
As the trio reunited, Jieming's gaze swept over them. Amy's clothes were disheveled, clearly indicating she had just been in a fight.
Victor looked somewhat disheveled, his wizard's robe torn and covered in dust. Fortunately, he appeared unharmed, likely having been caught off guard and fallen to the ground.
"We can't stay here long. It's too exposed," Jieming said quickly, nodding to the pair. "Let's move to a safer location."
The others readily agreed, nodding in assent.
Guided by the real-time map provided by his Glimmering Eye, Jieming led them through the dense forest, avoiding most of the dangerous areas.
Along the way, they occasionally heard distant booms of spells and the howls of magical beasts, signs of the chaos engulfing the apprentices.
After a short distance, the trio found a hidden cave to rest and regroup.
They easily dealt with the cave's original occupant, concealed the entrance, and lit a fire.
The flickering flames illuminated their faces, easing the tension slightly.
"What's our next move?" Victor asked, breaking the silence.
Among the three, Amy and Victor were both skilled at teamwork, so he took the initiative to suggest a plan.
"This plane is far more dangerous than we imagined," Amy said, her head bowed in thought. "Moreover, we haven't fully secured it yet, so high-level beings could appear at any moment. As third-tier apprentices, our current strength is woefully inadequate for this world."
Jieming leaned back against the rock wall and nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Therefore, we have two urgent priorities."
He held up two fingers. "First, we must find the main wizard force. As you saw earlier, the divine beings have likely seized control of all external passages to this plane. In an emergency, our only chance of escape lies in the stable teleportation formations established by the main force."
"I agree," Victor immediately chimed in. "Rushing deeper without a plan would only cut off our retreat—the height of folly. With our current strength, a single misstep in this plane could cost us our lives. Finding the main force would at least provide backup and resupply."
"Secondly..." Jieming's tone shifted, becoming more serious. "...we must advance to first-tier official wizards."
Due to the restrictions of the contracts they had signed upon joining the academy, apprentices typically remained at the third-tier wizard apprentice level until their ten-year term expired, only then choosing to advance. This was done to maximize their personal growth within the limitations.
Therefore, every apprentice participating in the assessment was a third-tier wizard apprentice, and all had spent many years honing their skills at this level.
Amy paused, then realized, "Advancement? That makes sense..."
Victor showed little reaction, clearly having considered this possibility long ago. "Indeed, we previously refrained from advancing to first-tier official wizard due to the contract restrictions. However, in the context of this full-scale war, the contract's limitations are not immutable."
Jieming nodded. "The workshop's year-long assessment clearly anticipated this. As third-tier apprentices, advancing to first-tier wizard would significantly enhance our combat capabilities."
Even without acquiring new knowledge, the gap between a first-tier official wizard and a third-tier apprentice remained an insurmountable chasm.
The threshold effects of mental power reserves, control intensity, elemental activity, and the natural evolution of the Witchcraft Model...
These were advantages that no apprentice-level wizard could match.
Even for Jieming, advancing to a first-tier official wizard represented a significant leap in combat prowess.
In the face of a real Planar War, one's own strength was paramount.
"So, our next steps are clear," Jieming concluded. "First, we need to find a wizard stronghold or a large group. Second, we must advance to first-tier official wizards... Do you have your Ascension Potions ready?"
"I have them prepared, but I didn't bring them with me," Amy replied, her expression troubled.
After all, they were heading to a new plane, and without space rings, each wizard apprentice could only carry limited supplies.
Moreover, most apprentices had anticipated that the assessment would likely involve planar warfare, making it even less likely they would bring Ascension Potions.
However, no one had expected the assessment to last a full year, leaving many apprentices woefully unprepared.
(End of the Chapter)