Chapter 417: Escape and Kill Competition (Patreon)

Chapter 417: Escape and Kill Competition

The Guiding Elf's words were calm, but to Richard, they struck like thunder.

If it was just speculation before, he could now be almost certain—the Wizards had encountered another civilization.

This selection of Military Department Officers was merely the beginning.

If nothing unexpected happened, once the two civilizations officially went to war, all Third Circle Wizards would be conscripted by the Military Department.

And as the conflict escalated, the Council of Truth would continuously expand the scope of conscription.

An unprecedented great war was coming!

As for why the two civilizations couldn't reach cooperation and coexist peacefully?

Don’t be ridiculous. A Wizard civilization with five Truth Wizards, over a thousand Great Wizards, and hundreds of millions of specialized War Wizards would never choose peace.

Conquest and enslavement were the ways Wizards treated foreign races.

Moreover, Richard didn’t believe other civilizations would coexist harmoniously with the Wizard civilization either.

Not every civilization was like the Pantheon Civilization—a chaotic mix with members of all races.

"The great era is coming," Richard murmured to himself.

Following the Guiding Elf, Richard arrived at a luxurious palace. Inside, Wizards from different academies and different Towers of Truth had gathered.

Some of these Wizards looked puzzled, some frowned in deep thought, some burned with fighting spirit, and others lazily yawned.

These were the elites among ordinary Wizards, one in ten thousand. Yet here, they were just ordinary attendees of the gathering.

"Please wait a moment," the Guiding Elf bowed to Richard. "The gathering will officially begin once all participants have arrived."

Richard scanned the hall and couldn’t help but frown.

The entire palace had not a single White Wizard—only Black Wizards.

"What is the Council planning?"

After confirming there were no familiar faces among the Wizards in the hall, Richard quietly retreated to a corner of the palace, waiting silently for what was to come.

Before long, as a Wizard resembling a stone giant entered the palace, a phantom suddenly appeared at the center.

"Silence."

The hall quickly quieted down.

Seeing the room fall silent, the phantom spoke: "I am the organizer of this Wizard gathering, the Minister of the Wizard World Expansion Department, the Great Wizard Bronze Spear.

Due to institutional reforms, from now on, Third Circle Wizard gatherings will no longer be hosted by individual Towers of Truth. All Third Circle Wizards will gather in a unified world under the Council’s jurisdiction.

Additionally, the previous voluntary selection system has been abolished. Now, all Third Circle Wizards must participate in the selection for officers of the Wizard World Expansion Department.

Those who pass the selection will automatically join the Wizard World Expansion Department.

Note—whether you are a student of a Great Wizard or their descendant, this rule applies to all Wizards."

Hearing this, the Wizards in the palace erupted in uproar.

Though the Military Department offered excellent benefits, their frequency of participating in Plane Wars far exceeded that of ordinary Wizards.

Joining the Military Department meant endless battles in the future.

Moreover, these words carried a dangerous implication—this was only the beginning.

Once forced conscription started, it would never stop.

"Order!"

Though the Great Wizard Bronze Spear was merely a projection, when he spoke, a terrifying aura still emanated through the illusion, silencing the entire palace.

"Due to institutional reforms, the original rules of the Wizard World Expansion Department have been modified. Members of the Expansion Department can now exchange military merits for various resources and benefits.

These include, but are not limited to, qualifications for promotion to Great Wizard."

Qualifications for Great Wizard...

These words were like a drop of water in boiling oil, instantly setting the palace abuzz once more.

Advancing to Great Wizard was the dream of countless Third Circle Wizards, yet for centuries, innumerable Third Circle Wizards had been stuck at the threshold of qualification.

Now, the Council of Truth had actually loosened the restrictions on Great Wizard promotions!

After the initial excitement came a hush, as the Wizards stared eagerly at the Great Wizard Bronze Spear, awaiting his next announcement.

The tactic of striking first and offering rewards later proved highly effective.

Though the Third Circle Wizards knew the military merits required for promotion would be astronomical, and that even if they joined the military, few would live long enough to redeem them.

Yet hope was intoxicating. Even knowing it was like moths to a flame, they were willing to be those moths.

"Those are the major changes. The rest are minor details, which will be provided in a handbook after the gathering.

Next, I will announce the rules for this assessment.

You will be randomly transported to any corner of this world for a selection process similar to the bloody trials of your apprentice days.

Of course, you are far more valuable than mere Wizard Apprentices, so you will have protection. Your guide sprites will ensure you do not die during this selection.

Once a sprite's protection is activated, you will be disqualified.

Your task in this selection is to defeat as many other Wizards as possible.

Each defeated Wizard earns you one point. After thirty days, the top one hundred Third Circle Wizards by points will join the Expansion Department."

The Great Wizard Bronze Spear paused abruptly.

"Additionally, you’ve likely noticed this is a newly conquered world, still harboring resistance forces.

Your guide sprites will provide details on these creatures. Eliminating them will also earn you points.

The selection begins in thirty seconds. Prepare yourselves."

With that, the Great Wizard Bronze Spear's projection vanished. A faint ripple of Magic Power surged beneath the palace floor—the sign of the random teleportation array activating.

"No wonder it's all Black Wizards..."

Richard surveyed the sea of black Wizard Robes in the hall, a nostalgic smile playing on his lips.

"So it's an elimination match."

Though all were Third Circle Wizards, Black Wizards generally excelled in individual combat compared to White Wizards.

Due to their roles, White Wizards often focused on Spells that enhanced their subordinates or coordinated the power of other Wizards.

Black Wizards, however, prioritized strengthening their own combat abilities.

Richard muttered to himself, "I wonder how the White Wizards will conduct their selection. Surely the Tower of Truth won’t just summon a Wizard army and pit them against each other?"

...

In the palace of the White Wizards, the Great Wizard Bronze Spear announced the selection rules.

"This time, you will enter the Soul Labyrinth of Truth’s Magic Equipment. There, you may freely configure your own army.

There are many types of slaves available—you can assemble your forces as you wish. But remember, the total number of troops is fixed. Gains come with sacrifices.

This competition follows a points system. Defeating an opponent earns you one point, and you will not face the same opponent twice.

At the end, the top one hundred Wizards with the highest scores will join the Wizard World’s Expansion Division.

No mistakes, no omissions, no exceptions—content is exclusively on 69shu!

In thirty seconds, the competition will begin."

With that, the phantom of the Great Wizard Bronze Spear abruptly vanished, leaving the White Wizards bewildered.

"Soul Labyrinth? What is that?"

"I thought we’d be fighting with slave armies inside the Mirror of the World. My Spellcraft is perfectly suited for slaves."

"Using the Soul Labyrinth—the Council is really investing heavily this time."

Amid the Wizards’ discussions, the palace floor gradually lit up.

Thirty seconds later, every Wizard in the palace complex disappeared without a trace.

...

As his vision slowly returned to normal, Richard, holding his World Tree staff, surveyed his surroundings with curiosity.

The Star River World lacked celestial bodies like a sun, casting the entire realm in perpetual dimness.

Under the cold glow of the starry river, the land seemed coated in silver, appearing serene and tranquil.

"The world is so vast—finding other Wizards won’t be easy," Richard remarked, rubbing his temples as he gazed at the plains before him.

"There’s no need to worry," the Guiding Elf suddenly appeared beside him, replying calmly. "I possess the ability to detect nearby elves. If you wish, I can reveal the locations of all Third Circle Wizards within fifty kilometers.

However, when I use this ability, other guiding elves will also sense my presence. Please use it cautiously.

Additionally, every ten days, the competition area will shrink.

Wizards who fail to reach the designated zone within a day will automatically be disqualified."

Richard’s lips twitched at this.

"Truly a battle royale."

Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed in the distance.

Within Richard’s line of sight, two Third Circle Wizards had already encountered each other and were now engaged in a fierce exchange of Spells.

"Seems I won’t need your help for now," Richard said offhandedly to the elf as he observed the duel.

"Points are coming to me."

...

Gorin believed he was truly chosen by fate.

Before becoming a Wizard Apprentice, he had been a prince of an empire—second only to the emperor, revered by thousands.

After becoming a Wizard Apprentice, his astonishing talent caught the attention of an Old Wizard, who took him in as a successor.

In his first Plane War as a Wizard, he not only emerged unscathed but also reaped substantial rewards.

The wealth he gained even surpassed that of his mentor.

Everything he researched held value, and his reasoning was always impeccable.

He participated in the Plane War, often facing moments of crisis, yet he always managed to turn misfortune into fortune and transform danger into opportunity.

Not long ago, he took part in the Great Wizard selection but unfortunately failed.

He thought his streak of good luck was about to end, but to his surprise, the Council of Truth actually reformed its system!

Now, he didn’t need to undergo the Archmage Trial—joining the military alone would grant him the qualifications to be promoted to Great Wizard.

As a Wizard, he had always scoffed at the notion of being a "Chosen One."

But now, he was starting to believe it.

He was the Chosen One! With this thought, Gorlin swung his staff, harnessing the power of rules to amplify his Spell’s potency to ten thousand energy levels.

Gazing at the precarious Magic Barrier of the Third Circle Wizard before him, Gorlin spoke in a low voice, "Friend, it’s over! Your failure isn’t due to your lack of skill—it’s because you met me! Gorlin, the Chosen One!"

With that, a brilliant beam of light pierced through the Magic Barrier.

The Wizard within the barrier vanished into thin air in an instant.

"One point secured!" Gorlin exclaimed excitedly.

But his excitement didn’t cloud his judgment. Swiftly, Gorlin opened his mouth and emitted a soundwave inaudible to human ears.

This was a reconnaissance Spell he had developed based on a creature called the Shadow Bat, with a detection range of up to ten kilometers.

Soon, he turned his head to the left.

There, a black-robed Wizard wielding a dark gold staff was rapidly closing in on him.

A mocking smile curled on Gorlin’s lips.

"Truly, I am the Chosen One. It’s only been a few minutes, and here comes another point."

(End of Chapter)