Chapter: 668

“Hello, and welcome to the third academy. Here’s the situation – you’re not supposed to be here, though due to some uncertain events, you are. Plus, I’m told you snuck in here, and we were thinking of executing you, but we have decided to have mercy since you’re so young. But since you are here, and sending you back would be annoying, you will now be working here with us.” Norgrim said as if it were already a done deal.

“Now, I’m sure we’ll find a way to make use of you, but for now I believe we need some mage assistants.” he added, “Also, don’t try to harm anyone or we’ll be forced to execute you.”

He said it so casually, but a shiver went down Smileys spine; something in his voice told him to beware, that many had been executed before and that many more would be to come.

“By the way, this is a permanent position.” he nodded with a smile.

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The mage hunter, currently designated as number three, continued tracing the signs of the necromancer along the desert.

“He must be smart. He didn’t leave any tracks in the sand at all, despite all the tempting red fruit around.” he thought, copying Jay and not leaving any tracks of his own.

Number three was standing over a small pile of skeleton corpses – four in total, each with broken weapons by their side. Their bodies had mostly fallen apart, having lost most of whatever dark energy was holding them together.

After relaying a report back to base, both he and the other mage hunters on the other end of the communication crystal were sure of it: he had found the trail to the necromancer.

Strangely, there were only rope-like tracks and a few odd skeleton foot-prints which were barely visible, sometimes showing up in the dirt between the rocks.

Somehow, the young human necromancer didn’t leave any tracks himself, which is what made the mage hunter worry – what if this was all just another diversion?

Not leaving a single track didn’t make any sense. No one was this good, especially not a level nine adventurer.

Lieutenant Marsh had since sent another squad towards number three, an additional six men to the two others which were already heading towards him, and number three was glad to have reinforcements coming; it meant that responsibility for the necromancer wouldn’t solely be on himself.

Usually with responsibility came rewards, however, Three knew better than that. He wasn’t an idiot.

If there were any rewards, a superior would claim those – and if not his superior, then the superior of his superior.

Any merit owed to him would never reach him, and so he knew that there was no point in putting in too much effort.

Just the bare minimum would do: the lowest amount of effort to stop himself from being punished. It was a sad reality to live in, and he hated it; it was often small things like this which stopped entire nations from prospering.

Knowing reinforcements were coming, he kept moving, following the strange tracks on the side of the mountain.

As he walked, he unconsciously sped up, as the skeletons he found were getting more frequent.

– – –

~Hollow Forest~

Jay found a small tranquil stream running through the forest.

“Ah, so refreshing” he released a satisfied smile.

Sitting by quiet stream, he wiped some water on his face, rejuvenating his skin after the strange, dry, desert micro-environment.

Surrounding him were thick ancient trees that covered the forest floor with interweaving roots, the roots themselves covered in thick moss.