SECRET REALM
After a series of crazy spins, Max appeared half-kneeling in a field of tall, random grass.
He forced himself to stand up and after looking around in all direction, he immediately saw the other apprentices that entered before him. They all stood together in groups nearby.
As for around tens meter in the sky, there was the familiar humongous black and white lights constantly spinning without stopping.
In the sky was a sun that was hung high up, higher than the light. Not far from where they were, to one side, was an extremely dense and lush forest. On the other side, there was a huge, endless, canyon. They seemed to be right in the middle of an intersection of the two areas. Max thought with lightning speed and waited for himself to recover slightly. He then walked toward where Ivory Tower's apprentices were.
After a short while, all the disciples had finally fallen out of the black and white ball of light. They gathered together according to their respective factions.
At this time, from within the ball of light came an ice-cold voice of the Mage they heard outside before, "Listen well, according to our calculation, you have only 20 days until the entrance collapse. When that time arrived, we will conjure a bridge for you to get out of the secret realm. Remember that you only have 20 days more! When the time has come and you arrive late, then you will forever be stuck here."
When his voice faded, the black and white ball of light was shrouded by a layer of silence and stop spinning.
After that, all the apprentices on the field dispersed while some traveled by small group of four to five peoples. But the most eye-catching group is the group of Radiance Academy's white-robed apprentices leads by the masked youth. They swiftly proceed toward the rocky canyon.
"Everyone listen up! We should discuss how we shall operate. Originally, according to Elder Garen's warning, there is plenty of danger inside the secret realm, not only from the traps but also the threat from dark apprentices and other factions. I suggest it is best if we move together to avoid attacks from others." One apprentice also from Ivory Tower spoke confidently. According to SECOND's scan, this guy should be veteran Rank 2 Mage Apprentice. His spiritual force is at 20 points.
After apprentice breakthrough to 20 points, they can start to prepare for Mage promotion but some for various reasons, still not promoted to Mage level. The number of Mages in this world can consider very small compared to mortal. Below Mage, everyone is a mortal. 20 point spiritual force is the limit of apprentice can achieve. Despite having reached the limit of mortal, talent and resources play a huge role in the promotion to Mage.
Despite what he said loudly, there are two group of apprentices from Ivory Tower separated and went on their own. Coincidentally, those two groups are Minerva and Raynard's. Max noticed Oswald also following Raynard's group.
'Hm, so that fatty also part of his faction. I need to re-plan my next move after return back later."
Every fortune is for himself. While sticking together is the safest method but all apprentices that came here searching for a lucky encounter. If they stick together, they need to share and even has a possibility of internal fracture. Human is naturally a greedy specious.
Max observed it with a smile hidden in his heart. He also does not plan to stick in a group. He never a team player even in his past life and plan to stick with it. Plus, his main objective is to test the bomb. He cannot let others figure out his secret weapon. It won't be a secret anymore.
"Hehe, this secret realm has such high concentration of mana, the precious resources here naturally not small. Thus we should do things on our own. At the very least, I will not go with everyone else!" Another rank 3 apprentices with messy-hair laughed as he chose a direction and went alone.
In the blink of an eye, the group of Ivory Tower's apprentice only left with eleven peoples. Nulara and her friends also decided to stick with a large group. Bolton also there. He smiled and went to Max's direction.
"Hey, Max! Let sit…" Before Bolton finished his word, Max cast Wind Walk spell and ran towards the heavy jungle alone.
"Canyon is a no go. What happens when I released the explosion later, a high chance of rock slide burying me alive. Forest fire. Now that interesting!" Max laughed as he ran to the jungle.
However a moment later, when he arrived at the edge of the jungle, he suddenly changed direction and rapidly ran along the border of the jungle.
Just like this, Max ran until his spell ran out while using SECOND to draw out a map of his path. Simultaneously, he carefully examined the surrounding environment.
The jungle clearly covered quite a large area, calling it a forest was probably more accurate.
He ran for an hour without stopping and yet to see the end of the forest. Unexpectedly, the journey was abnormally peaceful. SECOND only detected some few small insects.
Max began to consider if he should continue heading forward along the edge. According to SECOND's map, he was already quite far away from the others who entered the jungle. As long as he was careful, in the short ensuing amount of time, he shouldn't bump with any other apprentices.
Just as Max was pondering, a wave of explosions was heard. At first, it was only a soft sound but it quickly becomes a loud rumble.
"I thought someone testing an explosive like me too but that is the explosion caused by mana."
Startled, Max turned his head toward the canyon. On the distant of the gray canyon in the horizon, a huge red pillar so tall that its end was not in sight, had appeared mysteriously. Moreover, it emitted loud noises as it came closer to the jungle area.
Max's face darkened and without any hesitation, he recast Wind Walk spell, he turned and ran deep into the jungle.
Although he didn't know what the red pillar was, he knew it wasn't anything good. Probably a fight between apprentices and residents of this secret realm. The distant is too far that SECOND cannot get any reading.