"Hmph, a hidden Despairer from Blacksaw Tower Sorcerer Academy, huh?"
Mechanical Heart looked battered and bloody in the parts that hadn't been mechanized, with hardly a spot on him left intact. However, he didn't seem to care, as he kept his eyes fixed intently on Nidhogg, who remained silent.
Boom!
Mechanical Heart appeared to cease some oscillating attack from his mechanical right arm, as the sound of the spinning saw stopped. With a faint smile, he mused, "Or maybe... it's just that your shield is quite special?"
"You can try again."
Nidhogg said coldly from beneath his mask.
With his teammates supporting one another, Nidhogg had no reason to fear the so-called Mechanical Heart.
Mechanical Heart glanced at Nina, who was targeting him, then at Robin holding the Flame Fusion Orb on the altar, before silently turning away and leaving.
The other sorcerer apprentices, having realized they lost the chance to seize the treasure, had already departed.
"Hmph... interesting. I look forward to seeing you in the third secret realm. Pale Mask, I'll share your information with the others," Mechanical Heart called from a distance. With a buzz, the highly magnetic rotating disc detached from Yorkris and flew away, and Mechanical Heart's figure vanished into the night forest.
“Phew…”
Nina sighed in relief, slowly putting the Hurricane Arrow back in her quiver and accepting the Flame Fusion Orb from Robin. Feeling the terrifying energy within, Nina was delighted and said to the others, “Now we’re truly safe; we don’t have to worry about those Despairers anymore!”
Yorkris, Yorkliana, Robin, Binhan, and Nidhogg gathered around, marveling at the potent energy within the orb, which, though untested, was conservatively estimated to exceed 100-fold in impact.
With such attack strength, unless significant interests were at stake, even the Despairers would find it wise to avoid conflict.
Binhan clapped Nidhogg on the shoulder, laughing, “Hey, Nidhogg, when you told Mechanical Heart to ‘try again,’ that was awesome! Haha... It's a pity you have Sister Nina, or I’d introduce you to some great girls at the academy, hehe... Ow, ow, dear, that hurts…”
Beside him, Robin twisted his ear, huffing, “You know a lot of girls, do you? Hmm?”
Yorkliana gazed at Nidhogg with stars in her eyes, her expression full of admiration.
Yorkris, feeling a bit overshadowed, rapped his sister on the head and said, “What are you staring at? Don’t I have my moments? Hmph, that damned Mechanical Heart, just now…”
The next day, the six of them gathered to discuss their future plans.
Nina leaned lazily against Nidhogg, sighing, “I was thinking about entering the third secret realm, but after last night, it seems too risky.”
Robin, holding the Flame Fusion Orb, which shimmered beautifully in the sunlight, said without turning, “Sister Nina, I actually think the third secret realm might be specifically designed by the academy’s higher-ups for those Despairers. It’s probably wise for us not to participate…”
Suddenly, realizing something, Robin looked at Nidhogg, “Nidhogg, you…”
Understanding what Robin was implying, Nidhogg frowned and said, “I want to take a look.”
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The others turned to Nidhogg, and the atmosphere grew tense and quiet.
Nina, troubled, said, “Nidhogg, the third secret realm is extremely dangerous. Even though you were crucial in getting this Flame Fusion Orb, it’s a team treasure. I can’t give it to you just for personal gain.”
Yorkris interrupted, “Sister, what are you saying? Nidhogg is the only one among us who can attempt the third secret realm. The orb would be more effective with him than us just hoarding it. Are we going to collapse without this orb for the next twenty days?”
Binhan, Robin, and Yorkliana nodded, agreeing, “Yes.”
Nina’s expression hardened, and she said coldly, “Even though Nidhogg is my lover, I must prioritize the team’s interests. He’s contributed greatly, but I can’t sacrifice everyone’s chance for safety over the next twenty days for him.”
Her decisive, stern words made the others uncomfortable, creating an awkward silence.
Understanding Nina’s dilemma, Nidhogg shrugged, “It’s okay. I just want to try. If it doesn’t work, I won’t push myself. After all, as an apprentice relying on magical artifacts, there’s a huge gap between me and the Despairers groomed by real sorcerers…”
Nina bit her lip, resting against him, contemplating.
After a moment, she pulled a leaf exuding rich life energy from her pouch and handed it to Nidhogg, whispering, “This is a Leaf of Life. We pooled our magic stones for a long time to get this. It’s low-grade, but might help when needed.”
Nidhogg hesitated, unsure if he should accept the leaf.
“Take it as the team’s compensation. With the Flame Fusion Orb, we shouldn’t need this leaf to get through the trial,” Nina insisted.
Seeing the others encouraging him, Nidhogg nodded and accepted the Leaf of Life.
For the next few days, they set up a temporary camp at the secret realm. With the Flame Fusion Orb and their combined strength, they felt secure.
The altar and six rune pillars vanished after the orb’s removal, as a space-distorting force, similar to the first realm, made them disappear.
The group abandoned thoughts of “hunting” and seemed content to quietly endure the trial, turning their small camp into a tranquil oasis in the trial grounds.
...
Days passed.
As a surge of magic enveloped the trial grounds, seven massive, mysterious totem poles rose from the center of the map. These poles, over ten meters high and several meters wide, seemed to contain special energy.
The seven Despairers—Undying, Twisted, Gold Eye, Sun's Child, Enchantress, Mechanical Heart, and Ghoul Thief—had apparently known this was the site of the third secret realm, gathering there in advance.
Sun's Child exuded heat and flames, the most arrogant among them. Surprisingly, Sun's Child was a striking beauty, barely clothed as her flames burned away her garments.
Sun's Child exchanged a strange smile with Bibilionia, their rivalry evident despite the silent acknowledgment.
The seven exchanged glances, apparently having agreed on some unwritten rules, and scattered in their academy groups, each emitting their formidable mark waves without restraint.
When their waves radiated, all but Sun's Child had standard thirty-plus mark values. Sun’s Child unleashed an astonishing wave reaching a hundred, covering a nearly 300-meter radius.
At that moment, the other Despairers seemed mere side characters to Sun's Child!
Bibilionia scowled, casting a venomous glance at the triumphant Sun's Child before whispering to Yunli, “Yunli, you think that Nidhogg, the Pale Mask mentioned by Mechanical Heart, can really match us Despairers?”
Unconsciously, these so-called Despairers had started embracing their title, relishing the fear and adoration it brought.
Yunli toyed with a white mouse, responding without looking up, “I told you, defense-wise, even Sun’s Child would struggle against him for a short while.”
“Does that mean, in seventeen years, our academy’s qualification match will have another rival?”
Bibilionia’s face fell, hesitantly adding, “If that’s the case, I’d rather swallow my pride now…”
Yunli replied, “Relax. Pale Mask relies on that mask artifact. Such artifacts are the pinnacle for apprentices, and he can’t acquire anything stronger. Just using the mask won’t suffice for him in seventeen years.”
“And do you think he’ll remain unscathed upon returning to the academy?”
Solum, previously impassive, now showed regret, adding, “If his mentor indeed gave him such a powerful artifact in secret, and he used it so openly, the consequences back at the academy won’t be trivial. Even his mentor might find them hard to bear.”
Bibilionia, reassured, grinned, “If so, I’m relieved. Let's make Nidhogg take that woman’s place, so she won’t dare challenge our Blacksaw Tower Academy, claiming to be the top sorcerer apprentice.”
Yunli shrugged, indifferent, “She just has high attack energy. Besides, Solum’s immortality and the Ghoul Thief’s poison could match Sun’s Child.”
Elsewhere, Sun’s Child sneered, “Gold Eye? Just a congenital talent without growth, merely bullying apprentices. The Pale Mask must be your trump card, right?”
Saying so, Sun's Child casually revealed two Flame Fusion Orbs in her hand.
In the distance, Mechanical Heart and Enchantress were creating substantial energy waves, seemingly dispatching arriving sorcerer apprentices...