CHAPTER 273: YOU CAN FIGHT?

’Tch, you again...’ Hal clicked his tongue in annoyance at the sight of the smiling Shaun, his master’s crazy driver.

’Unfortunately for you, you won’t be able to piss me off much this time!’

"Hal, you’re ready?" Isolde’s voice sounded to his left, capturing his attention.

Hal’s expression turned serious as he nodded.

Korvus, meanwhile, remained silent at the side. The old man was simply there to send him off.

"Since you’re ready, then get in. Me and a few others shall escort you there," the headmistress continued.

"A...few others?" Hal asked, slightly confused.

"Yes," Isolde confirmed, "This time, my deteriorating strength isn’t enough to ensure everyone’s safety, so I had the empire post an escort quest at the Imperial Wizard Guild yesterday, and four parties comprising of an S-Ranked wizard as leaders and A-ranked Wizards as members accepted. They should already be waiting for us outside the academy gates."

"I see..."

Hal’s serious expression deepened.

He was far from being stupid, and the mere mention of four S-ranked wizards joining allowed him to instantly deduce that they might be heading into one of the ten Death Zones in Maegrath.

As for exactly which one, Hal didn’t know.

"Ahh, but master. I’ll be riding Loki for the trip."

"Oh? Your Dharmwolf...does he have enough stamina?"

"Ah, right. I haven’t told you guys yet... I had him reexamined at the Companion Registration Office, and they said he’s not a Dharmwolf but a Devourer Nyxwolf."

Isolde’s eyes momentarily widened, and she scanned Loki from head to toe.

If what her student said was true, then the wolf companion would indeed be more of an asset than a burden, though she found it hard to believe that someone could be so lucky as to pick up the cub of a Devourer Beast.

"I see, suit yourself. Let’s go."

Hal nodded and gracefully mounted his black wolf companion, and the duo quickly followed the crazy driver out the gates.

Soon, they arrived, spotting more than twenty adventurers waiting outside their Manatech Vehicles—some of them clearly in a foul mood.

The younger ones sized Hal up with challenging gazes.

Hal noticed but chose to ignore them, as he had nothing to gain by humoring them. In fact, it might even be detrimental to the convoy if such disagreements were allowed to bud.

The young wizards sneered in disappointment and disdain.

How could Hal be trusted to carry the empire on his back if he doesn’t even have the guts to lock eyes with them?

Plus, he’ll be attempting a trial at a Death Zone? Isn’t this Magna Prospect a bit too delusional?

The older adventurers, on the other hand, were more tame and professional, especially the S-ranked Wizards.

Perhaps they’ve witnessed Isolde in her prime and greatly respected her.

Nonetheless, while they didn’t chime in, they also didn’t stop the youngsters from constantly provoking her student.

"Hey, hey brother Hal." Driver Shaun suddenly began, "Are you sure you’re just gonna take the disrespect. If that were me..."

Before he could finish his words, however, Isolde glared at him.

Shaun shut his mouth immediately, though it was evident that he was struggling to hold his laughter.

Hal took a deep breath in response.

As long as the young high-ranked wizards of the Imperial Wizard Guild didn’t overstep, then he would tolerate them.

It would be unwise to waste his mental energy on them, especially since he’s about to enter a special location.

Isolde and the four S-ranked wizards soon finished discussing whatever their plan was, and the mighty convoy rode out of Aeloria City in five vehicles and one wolf beast.

They were two weeks away from their destination: the Tiki Island in the south of Maegrath.

While it wasn’t exactly inside a Death Zone, one must pass the treacherous Great Carralis Canyonlands to get there.

Hal didn’t know how they would cross safely. However, he was certain that his master and the S-ranked wizards had a plan.

They would’ve already warned him that there would be a problem otherwise.

Loki had almost infinite stamina, especially since the vehicles of the convoy couldn’t really bring out his top speed, so the first few hours of the journey were quite peaceful, allowing Hal to fall into ponderment.

He was thinking about a few of the cards he drew.

There was the [Unique]-tier [Mana Pulse], which would allow him to reliably detect enemies, but the problem was that he only had three charges of it.

Hal had to use such a strategic spell card wisely.

Aside from this, he also got two domain-type [Unique]-tier spells—one ice and one light, though he still didn’t know how to capitalize on the latter.

Hal wasn’t too adept at using light elemental magic and still hadn’t developed a fighting style based around it.

If he were asked which elements he was most familiar with, it would be space, darkness, and ice.

As for the [Epic]-tier spell cards, he drew a devastating total of five for thirty-thousand points—one for mobility, three for offense, and one for defense.

Hal made use of their travel time to study his improved arsenal.

Days passed just like that.

They would travel, eat, rest, and then travel again.

The four adventurer parties were growing more familiar with each other as the days went by.

Meanwhile, Hal was increasingly being isolated, since he was trying to avoid unnecessary conflict.

The convoy was soon forced to stop and disembark from their vehicles.

To Hal’s astonishment, his master suddenly opened a massive rift in the void, then one of the S-ranked Wizards used his wind magic to bring all the vehicles inside the void dimension, including Isolde’s.

Hal remembered something, turning to look at Shaun.

"What?" asked the slightly older young man, meeting his gaze. "You think I can’t fight?"

"You can?"

"Why of course! I couldn’t exactly be trusted to drive Headmistress Isolde around if I didn’t know how to fight, could I?"

’That made sense...’

It was then that Isolde spoke:

"Shaun is an S-ranked wizard. Perhaps you’ve heard of Shaun the Scourgebringer?"