Chapter 115: The Journey Home

Two months later.

As the airship descended slowly onto the plaza, the mandatory trial mission in the Gloom Cave finally came to an end. Just as when they had arrived, the escort remained the muscular, golden-armored brute. Seeing Greem and his group, a strange, inscrutable smile appeared on the giant’s face.

"Hahaha, little pups, had a good time down in the depths? Let me see... not bad, not bad at all. Ten went in, seven came out. It seems those fellows down below were quite polite to you. Oh? Why is there an extra quasi-wizard? Someone clearly had a stroke of luck! Haha, was that beginner little brat the first one to kick the bucket? A beginner venturing into such a place is just asking for death! Hahaha..."

Listening to the muscular man’s self-amused lecture, the expressions of those present turned sour. During their final patrol in the depths, the trial squad had been subjected to a premeditated ambush by fallen apprentices. Bruce, a senior apprentice, had fallen in battle, and the rest had escaped with injuries. Hearing the giant’s mockery, they lowered their heads to hide the flames of fury in their eyes.

Greem bowed bitterly and said, "Lord Samir, I am the beginner apprentice you were referring to."

Samir’s booming laughter came to an abrupt halt. His leopard-like eyes, the size of copper bells, stared at Greem, finally recognizing a trace of his former self beneath the drastic physical changes.

"A senior apprentice now! Kid, it seems you’re the one who did the best among this lot! Alright, alright, no matter what you went through, get on the ship now. I’m in a hurry to finish this mission and report back!"

Without a word, the group boarded the airship. Kabi the goblin, as Greem’s contract servant, paid the symbolic one magic crystal and followed him aboard. As the ship shuddered and lifted into the air, everyone leaned against the railings, watching the people and buildings below shrink into insignificance. Their feelings were complex; they felt like birds suddenly released from a cage, their spirits instantly relaxing. The more familiar companions gathered together, laughing happily.

However, the deep rift between the squads remained. The group of seven was divided into two distinct factions.

In the final days before leaving the Gloom Cave Wizard Tower, Greem had ordered Kabi to liquidate all temporarily useless magic gems and materials, striving to purchase a vast amount of magical beast ingredients, along with any sorcery knowledge and elemental cores he could find. He knew all too well that compared to this place, the conditions at the Swamp Tower were primitive, almost like a wasteland. Once they returned, there would be no more mana-infused meals, no apprentice markets, and no bountiful merchant guilds. From then on, he would have to be self-sufficient.

The large quantity of supplies filled his storage belt to the brim. To bring everything back, Greem had even bought five or six additional pouches. Even so, there were still many materials that wouldn't fit, so Kabi simply stuffed them into a large sack, carrying it on his back wherever he went, refusing to discard a single piece.

The airship soared through the sky. Since they were traveling within a maturely developed human territory, the flight was swift. The Gloom Cave had been the final stop on the way out, but on the return trip, they were the first. As the ship passed through mission points in various regions, the number of apprentices on board grew steadily.

Compared to their high spirits upon arrival, these apprentices had been worn down by their grueling experiences, becoming more reserved and introspective. Yet, once the number of people on deck exceeded a hundred, it inevitably became lively again. The senior apprentices were, of course, the most boisterous, walking about and calling out to friends. While intermediate apprentices were the most numerous, they were mostly relegated to the background. But the true stars of the apprentice circle were the quasi-wizards.

After this trial, these quasi-wizards would undoubtedly become the future hopes their families would focus on cultivating, so they used this rare gathering to make contact with their peers and competitors. To a quasi-wizard, only another quasi-wizard mattered.

By the time the airship crossed the Dagon and Bracada regions, the number of quasi-wizards on board had reached ten, including Mary, the newly ascended bloodline quasi-wizard, and... the Insectoid Entik.

Yes, unfortunately, the Insectoid Entik had also successfully advanced to a quasi-wizard during this trial.

Perhaps satisfied with his progress, he did not hide his face with a hood when he boarded at the Bracada mission point. His face had become even uglier than before. His facial muscles were dark and sallow, and a ring of eerie, tiny eyes had appeared around his purple pupils. When all the eyes blinked in unison, the density was truly chilling. His mouth had been replaced by beetle-like mandibles; as his pitch-black lips writhed, one could see the crimson flesh and green saliva within.

It was clear that Entik’s self-modification had gone deeper; he could now be called a "half-insect." While Greem didn't care for such complete abandonment of human form, he had to admit that Entik was the most ruthless and cruel to himself of any apprentice he had ever seen.

His immense power granted Entik great confidence, making him indifferent to the gazes of others. This was evident from his arrogant gait as he boarded. However, when his purple compound eyes swept across the crowd and landed on Mary and Greem, the senior apprentice companions trailing behind him felt a sense of solemnity and alarm from their fearless leader.

When they followed his gaze to see Mary—standing proudly, dressed in red armor and a red gown, with a red bow on her back—they were all stunned by her beauty. But when they sensed the deep, restrained, and powerful mental fluctuations radiating from her, they were simultaneously struck with fear, quickly withdrawing their lecherous expressions and bowing slightly to show respect.

That such a beautiful and cold woman was also a quasi-wizard made everyone inwardly lament the partiality of the world's will.

Entik stared coldly at Mary for a long time before pulling up his hood to cover his face and walking away. Throughout the process, his gaze never once lingered on Greem.

"Looks like there will be more fights when we get back! It seems Entik has gained quite a bit, too." Greem was unfazed by the Insectoid's disregard and instead teased with a smile.

"Hmph, no matter how deep he hides, he’s not as deep as you. You are the best actor I’ve ever met! You clearly have such powerful means, yet you pretend to be harmless, just waiting for some fool to crash into you. Are you addicted to playing the victim?" Mary retorted with dissatisfaction.

She wasn't even sure anymore! Did this damn bastard push her to the rank of quasi-wizard because he truly cared, or was it just his habitual way of pushing others to the front to hide his own penchant for backstabbing?

At the final mission point in the Bracada region, the Mad Woman also boarded the airship.

When the group saw each other, there was no joy or sense of reunion; instead, the atmosphere became even heavier and more bizarre. The Mad Woman was still a senior apprentice; although she had gained some strength during the trials