The Lair of the Sword Spider (Part 2)

As the firewall maintained by four mages advanced towards the vicinity of the village, the proctor for the second round was already at the village entrance to greet the somewhat disheveled candidates

In response to Perel's conjecture, Victor merely nodded.

Although faint, there is indeed a deathly aura about him. If I am not mistaken, this fellow's intention is likely not the Adventurer's Certificate, but rather to experiment with his new spells during the examination. Damn the evil sorcerer, the fallen one who has sold his soul

Looking at your hair color, it seems you are not from this country. Black hair is typical of northern ethnic groups; only descendants of a mix between the northern tribes and the Haidans would have such hair color

The four accompanying priests stood in a row, chanting prayers in a rhythmic and melodic manner. The soothing power of their divine incantations quickly calmed the sword spiders, transitioning them from a state of hunting to deep slumber

The mage merely nodded and did not respond

The lich was not keen on conversation; apart from occasionally gazing towards the east where Davor Village was located, all remaining energy was focused on the lair of the spider creatures

Perhaps, but the invigilator did not state it explicitly After finishing this passage, Victor and Perel distanced themselves from each other

"Alright, who shall I kill?" After some thought, Cook believed this was a good deal. Since he was a mage, he must have some expensive magical items on him. Selling just one of them in town would surely fetch several dozen gold coins.

Very good, even as a mute, it does not diminish his talent. I am not well-versed in magic; the specifics of his strength can only be discerned when you reach that level. " Baffy changed his previous opinion of Victor.

Despite his expressionless face, Victor was quite concerned about the young man who called himself Perel. Like Fischer, this person exuded an undeniable elegance that was even more pronounced and distinguished.

Suppressing the displeasure in his heart, Paan identified himself and successfully completed the handover with Bafi

"Keep an eye on this guy's face..." Vina took out a scroll, on which was depicted a half-length portrait of a young man

"Behind... ... there is still a batch... ..." Dailede was panting heavily, the depletion of his magical power rendering him unable to stand steadily. A priest hurriedly cast a calming spell on him

Eric and Buffy easily crossed the lair of the spider monster and arrived beside the jubilant candidates

It is not accustomed to being close to others, which is indeed completely the same as Wood.

Victor

No. It is nothing. It recalled the past buried deep in memory, the painful and cursed previous life, a lineage that had been abandoned, fallen, and forgotten

He does not particularly like this young man, whose previous remarks exuded an air of aristocracy, looking down on ordinary people. Remembering the golden-haired youth who voluntarily stayed behind, Delid had a good idea in his mind. Most likely, he is some grand noble from a certain country, abandoning a life of luxury to come and play a game that could be deadly; it truly is a case of having too much time on his hands.

Is this all the candidates?" The priest Paan glanced around, noticing only a little over sixty individuals. However, nearly two hundred had passed the preliminary review. To have eliminated so many at the first stage is truly concerning for this year's examination

With the assistance of the priest, the second group of candidates successfully departed from the area occupied by the spider creatures, and the outline of the small village was faintly visible

Upon glancing at Victor's attire, a hint of surprise appeared on Paan's solemn face

Do not expect him to defeat Victor, but at the very least, it can facilitate his own schemes. Achieving the goal with just a few gold coins is worthwhile

Although the Noin Empire never selects the tongue-tied, other kingdoms may not be willing to forgo such exceptional talent. For instance, Talan would likely not allow him to be lost to other nations

In stark contrast to the joy of others, Victor was unwilling to witness the emergence of the Church of Light. As an undead being, his greatest enemies were life and the followers of the god Mara of Light.

Among the five priests, one was still a cleric, which caused Victor to feel an increase in pressure. Their presence not only disrupted his plans but also added extra danger. The appreciative gaze of Buffy, as anticipated, drew the attention of the cleric Paan

"Don't worry about so much; just take him out." Considering that he doesn't have much time left, she decided not to hold it against him

The seeds of distrust and panic quickly take root, the crowd begins to stir, regretting the choice to remain, and quiet complaints gradually evolve into loud curses

Buffett generously offered praise; even without hearing their conversation, one could discern whose achievements they were from their body language

Cook, would you like to make a little money

Thunder System Advancement

This sound abruptly halted the noisy complaints, and everyone looked forward eagerly, indeed catching sight of a few figures

"Do you really think the first level is about physical fitness?" Perel said softly, "I feel like it's more of a test of teamwork..."

"Follow me, the second round is in the Dawo Mine, where you will demonstrate your survival skills. Those who fail will lose their qualification for two sessions." The priest's voice had a unique allure, reminiscent of the bald head of Eric. Under his guidance, the remaining candidates set off again, preparing for the challenges of the second round.

Hehe... Cook let out a couple of cold laughs, but he certainly wouldn't 'help' with that. Moreover, with Davo Village chosen as the second location for the adventurer examination, he wasn't crazy enough to commit murder during this sensitive time

How could he bear to return? Cook has an ordinary face, and his honest smile makes it difficult for people to associate him with a robber. Yet, this seemingly simple middle-aged man, along with his wife, has murdered numerous passing travelers or itinerant merchants.

A wizard

Back!

The robe embroidered with the emblem of the Six-Winged Holy Light allowed the anxious candidates to finally breathe a sigh of relief; it belonged to a cleric of the Church of Light. With such a figure present, it meant that they could finally catch their breath.

Pa Anmo remained silent, and the more Buffett praised how excellent Victor was, the tighter his brows furrowed

Looking at Cook's yellowing teeth, Veena suddenly thought of a clever scheme to kill two birds with one stone

Cook weighed the money bag in his hand, loosened the thin string that sealed the opening, and took a look inside. Seeing the dazzling gold, he lowered his voice: "Such a substantial sum, you must be targeting someone extraordinary, right?"

This mage ... ...

Has the magic run out

What is your opinion of that person?" The priest inquired of the examiner for the first round, his gaze fixed directly on Victor

Oh, isn't that Vina? A teasing voice sounded from behind. Vina slightly turned to the side and saw her former neighbor leaning against the old wooden house, looking at her with a mischievous expression.

Well done

Time gradually passes, and as the sky darkens, the remaining candidates begin to feel a bit anxious

"Tell me more about it." Due to the presence of the spider monsters, Cook had not encountered any passing travelers for over ten days, and he was somewhat tempted by Vina's suggestion

Suddenly, Victor remembered something. His rigid expression changed, shifting from indifference to distortion. The stark contrast prompted Perel, who was standing nearby, to involuntarily ask.

Mage

Except for one person

The sword spider, unwilling to let its prey escape, finally launched a full-scale attack, disregarding the fire wall that was as tall as a person, attempting to leap over this magical barrier

It seems there are a few more ... ... '' There are only four mages in total, yet nine have returned. Perel tightened his grip on the dragon-headed staff, preparing for any eventuality

Perel cast a glance at Victor's badge, just as he was about to say something, when Kemal, whose gaze had not shifted from the path leading to Davo Village, suddenly shouted excitedly

Handing over the last bit of the sealing potion obtained from Aima, Vina instructed Cook: "Find a way to make him drink this. A mage without magic is weaker than an ordinary person, easily manipulated in any way you wish."

The blond young man shook his head helplessly at the complaints around him and turned to the silent Victor: "My name is Perel, and you, sir mage?"

As the only remaining practitioner, Victor used the Firewall technique to encircle the remaining candidates. Unable to approach, the Sword Spider's offensive weakened, as both its webs and magical power were limited.

Wood himself harbored a deep disdain for his origins, and consequently, he did not appreciate others discussing them. As a substitute for his existence, he certainly could not afford to behave too outrageously

***

"Shh... keep your voice down." Concerned about being overheard, Veena glanced around. Fortunately, she and the other candidates were busy recovering their strength, and no one paid attention to her conversation with Cook.

"Not bad at all. You wouldn't be thinking of abandoning him after starting something, would you...?" Cook said half-jokingly, which earned him a fierce glare from Veena

Wasn't it said that there is a small village nearby? Why has no one returned after going there? Do they really not care about the remaining people?

Soon, the appearance of this group of people came into the view of the students who remained behind for the examination. Indeed, they were the mages escorted by the first person to leave, and the additional five individuals wore white robes, their insignia invigorating everyone.

Are you an advanced mage

As a gentle white light emanated from the palm, the apprentice mage felt his body enveloped by a peculiar warmth, and the fatigue in his muscles quickly dissipated

You also know that I do not want to spend my entire life living in this small, desolate village. Therefore... I would like to ask for your help in killing someone

The more the Lich scrutinized, the more it felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. This did not stem from the puppet corpse, but from itself. ... Having left the Material Plane for eighty years, what needed to be severed and what needed to be cleared had all faded away with time, so why ...

"Take a break for a while, and then go back to pick up the rest of the people." Sarachi walked over to Dalide, her face showing unmistakable concern

Victor planted the staff into the soft grass beneath his feet, clasped his hands together, and as he separated them, azure lightning crackled between his palms. When he directed his hands towards the more than ten sword spiders leaping over the fire wall, a net of electricity suddenly appeared in the air, with lightning darting back and forth among the arachnids, filling everyone's mouths and noses with the acrid smell of burnt hair

Do not worry about being held accountable for your crimes; as long as you conceal it properly, no one will suspect you. The adventurer's exam has never lacked those who have failed and been killed. Vina handed over the few remaining gold coins she had to Cook: "This is a deposit..."