IRM Chapter 24

Southwest of Gaia Plains, at the border adjoining Dark Night Forest.

Near a temporary camp, the light of a teleportation magic circle glowed faintly.

After the pale blue radiance faded, a group of slender little mages suddenly appeared on the level clearing. They recovered from the slight dizziness of teleportation, opened their eyes wide, and gazed in amazement at this area.

“Wow——is this Dark Night Forest? It looks so lively… not scary at all!”

“What nonsense are you talking about! Wake up, this is just the outer camp!”

“But there really are so many people! What are they all here for?”

The teleportation array was positioned right at the high ground of the camp. From this vantage point, the vast camp was visible in its entirety.

This temporarily constructed camp was half the size of Magic Academy, nestled closely against the dark, rolling forest. Thousands of people bustled within it energetically, with tents, campfires, and trading stalls filling the entire clearing. Overhead, summoners occasionally whooshed past riding flying magical beasts.

Joseph pushed up his glasses and remarked to Reize beside him, “It seems quite a few academies chose to conduct their midterm training here this year.”

Reize smiled. “I came here once too, but that was during my second year. There weren’t nearly as many trainees back then.”

Joseph: “Yes, Dark Night Forest has been much more peaceful these years, so even smaller academies can come here for training now.”

As he spoke, he turned around and pointed to several conspicuous emblems in the camp, introducing them to the little mages. “I’m sure you’re all familiar with the red badge—that’s where Saint Trilley Combat Academy is located. Our Magic Division’s camp is at its southeast corner. The blue one nearby belongs to Northland Academy of the Nors Empire. Remember, don’t go wandering around there without reason.”

As he said this, Joseph rarely showed an expression of lingering fear. He shook his head without saying much more, simply steadied himself and looked back at the little mages. “This camp is only for you to accept missions and temporarily rest. If nothing unexpected happens, you’ll be spending the next half month in the forest. Also, this training will be conducted in groups of four with unified scoring. Now, you may freely form into four-person teams.”

The sudden grouping caught the little mages somewhat off guard, but this was also one of the academy’s tests—temporarily selecting trusted teammates and working together to overcome difficulties.

Some little mages who usually hung out together quickly clustered together, though naturally a few were left alone, standing to the side hesitating and calculating.

Needless to say, Evan had been standing beside Ji Chi the whole time without moving. He was somewhat nervous about the sudden grouping. “I hope we can meet teammates with better tempers…”

Before he could finish speaking, a shadow fell in front of him.

Evan looked up dumbly to find Brandon standing arrogantly before him, the implication clear without words.

The young master noticed his gaze and frowned. “What are you looking at? Didn’t I say——” He pointed to his own eyes again, “I’ll be watching you!”

Evan: “……”

Evan swallowed and realized one spot for a good-tempered teammate was gone. He quietly said again, “I hope our next teammate has a better temper…”

“Saintess Coralie, who would you like to team up with?” Joseph knew her identity was special, so he specifically approached to ask.

Saintess Coralie first instinctively glanced toward Ji Chi’s direction, but thinking of her own identity and the dangers they might encounter, she turned back and pursed her lips without speaking.

The little mages who hadn’t successfully formed teams yet looked at Saintess Coralie with eager eyes. Having the Saintess of Light in their team would be like having cheat codes in Dark Night Forest!

“Would you like to join our group?” A clear voice broke through Saintess Coralie’s hesitation. Ji Chi stood nearby, looking at her with a smile.

Why is it you again! The little mages glared at Ji Chi in unison! How dare you! She’s the Saintess!

Evan’s feelings were extremely complicated. Right, good tempers have absolutely nothing to do with our group now.

Reize, who had been following beside Joseph, lowered his eyes and sighed helplessly.

Reize didn’t speak up to stop this. He just looked toward the smoky scene in the distance and suddenly remembered the answer Ji Chi had given him that day in the tavern.

At that time, Ji Chi, whose identity had been pointed out, looked at him and smiled carelessly. “So what if my identity is exposed? The day I saved you, I revealed quite a few flaws. It’s not that I’m not cautious—I simply don’t care.”

Ji Chi’s eyes held indifferent calm as he slowly said, “No one can do anything to me. But for those who need help, the chance to change their fate might come only once, and what I want to see is that no one will ever again be manipulated by so-called destiny.”

Reize was slightly dazed. The young face before him still carried the delicate features of youth, but those dark eyes seemed to have experienced reincarnation, seeking and giving redemption in the floating world.

As Reize thought about it, he suddenly smiled. This was good too—at least he had something to do now.

Hearing Ji Chi’s invitation, Saintess Coralie’s slender fingers clenched. She slowly walked to Ji Chi and said softly, “Are you sure? I might drag you down…”

The young master couldn’t bear to hear the Saintess say such things. He squeezed forward, “Hah? How could you possibly be a burden! You just need to follow me with confidence—I’ll protect your elegance and composure!”

Brandon said this while bowing gracefully in a gentleman’s bow.

Ji Chi and Evan looked at him in unison: “……” Please shut up. Hopefully you’ll still think this way tomorrow.

Evan sighed and turned to Saintess Coralie. “Don’t take what the Holy Knight Order said that day to heart. We’re all here voluntarily, and we know our responsibilities. Besides… we’re all friends, aren’t we?”

Little Sun smiled warmly, his sincere warmth gently wrapping around the softest places in the heart.

Saintess Coralie looked up, her lips curving slightly, her delicate features glowing brilliantly, “Thank you all.”

Brandon was almost mesmerized, stammering as he touched his red hair. “It’s what we should do, what we should do…”

Seeing everyone had formed their groups, Joseph said, “From now on, this is your training time. The mission acceptance point is at the Magic Academy branch camp. The final assessment results will be determined by the quantity and quality of missions completed within 15 days. Now, each group should choose one member to come forward and receive an identification plate. The plates are inscribed with small teleportation magic circles—contact us immediately when you encounter danger, and Teacher Reize and I will appear promptly.”

Unlike the endless reminders and instructions teachers gave before exams in the original world, assessments in this other world were simple and brutal—accept as many or as few missions as you please, just don’t get yourself killed.

Of course, complete freedom also meant fierce competition among trainees—there were limited missions released each day, so if you wanted to accept cost-effective missions, you had to fight for them!

Almost everyone realized this the instant Joseph finished explaining the rules! They looked at each other—

“Charge!”

“Damn! What’s the incantation for Swift Spell again? I wasn’t listening during that class!”

“Quick, quick, quick! Didn’t you just buy a flying carpet the day before yesterday? Take it out and use it!”

“Damn, don’t even mention that—I’m still mad! That dwarf cheated me! That thing is slower than Brandon!”

“What are you saying about me? Is running slowly bothering you somehow!” Brandon bristled!

Joseph crossed his arms and watched the little mages’ chaotic scene, revealing a gratified smile. “So you see, actual combat is the best teacher…”

He sighed with emotion, then turned to see Ji Chi pulling Saintess Coralie with one hand and carrying Evan with the other, charging toward the mission acceptance point at flying speed, leaving everyone else in the dust, with a 1m/s Brandon following behind shouting “wait for me!”

Joseph’s expression immediately darkened, obviously remembering the previous scene of being repeatedly slapped in the face by Ji Chi. He snorted heavily. “That rascal who never learns properly!”

Reize chuckled and comforted him, “Talent in other professions is still talent. Maybe he can achieve excellent results in other professions too.”

Joseph was silent for a while, then turned away and sighed almost inaudibly. “I used to think so too, but in the end, people cannot resist fate…”

At the edge camp of Dark Night Forest, a group of people panted heavily as they clambered over tents and trading stalls, “sprinting” toward the Combat Academy direction.

The busy people in the camp were already familiar with this scene. After glancing at those pathetically slow figures, they continued their work. “The Combat Academy’s rules are still more exciting. Having missions predetermined in advance is just boring.”

“You’re absolutely right. Northland Academy students have been clamoring to change the rules for several years, but the academy just stubbornly refuses to change.”

“Of course they can’t change! If they let them run free, that would be terrible! Even as things are now, they’ve scared away mages from so many academies! Throughout history, only Combat Academy mages have dared to train near them.”

“Sigh, exactly…”

The little mages conducting training for the first time couldn’t yet understand why the expressions along the way were so pitying. They had no mind to investigate these things either. In their eyes, the Combat Academy’s emblem was already close at hand, and just a bit further ahead they could find the Magic Division’s mission location.

While the other little mages in the class were still rolling their eyes during their 800-meter sprint, Ji Chi had already brought his two teammates into the tent where the mission point was located.

The Magic Division’s tent looked quite plain and small from the outside, but inside was another space entirely—a spacious, empty hall with three tall mission boards standing in the center, for trainees from the Magic Division’s three grades to select missions.

There were already quite a few people in the hall at this time, wearing the uniforms of Magic Division’s upper-grade students, looking over curiously.

“Wow, there really are first-years this year. Must be from Class S, right?”

“Yes! Look, that’s the Saint, Saint, Saintess!”

“Haha! Look at you! It’s just Saint, Saint, Saintess Coralie!”

“……”

During this half month of training, Saintess Coralie could finally escape the Church’s complicated and holy nun’s robes. She wore the academy’s standard training uniform—comfortable and lightweight black knee-length shorts, soft yet sturdy short boots, and her luminous golden hair tied high at the back of her head, looking both spirited and beautiful.

Saintess Coralie was accustomed to such gazes. She came to the first-year mission board and looked at the densely packed mission slips, asking her teammates, “Which one should we choose?”

Though she was asking, her gaze was fixed directly on the red mission at the very top.

[S-Rank Mission: Explore Dark Night Forest, search for traces of the Nightingale]

This was the only S-rank mission on the board. It was somewhat vague, but completing it would definitely give the highest score!

Was there even a choice to make? If they were choosing, they had to choose the best!

All three pointed at that mission simultaneously, looking hopefully at the teacher registering missions nearby.

This teacher was also a familiar face—Madam Emma, who taught history and magical theory, stood with her hands clasped, smiling as she watched the impatient little mages. “You can’t directly accept high-level missions~ Only after completing low-level missions can you challenge higher-level ones~”

Ji Chi and his companions froze, then following Madam Emma’s hint, their raised heads gradually lowered, their gazes falling from the topmost S-rank down, down, down to the bottommost F-rank.

Damn! How are you all so cunning!

Ji Chi was shocked that the academy could be so devious! Honestly, did you guys transmigrate from the game development team?!

It seemed that reaching the top in one step wouldn’t work. To accept high-level missions, they could only rely on efficient grinding.

They helplessly discussed briefly and unanimously agreed to accept the simplest low-level missions. Regardless of early scores, their goal was to quickly grind up to S-rank missions.

By the time they finished selecting missions and came out of the mission point, Brandon had just barely run halfway.

Brandon understood that Ji Chi and the others leaving first was the most correct decision, but the abandoned young master was still very unhappy! He glanced at the other little mages nearby who were equally out of breath, planning to find some sense of superiority from them.

“Hmph, your whole group runs so slowly, you probably can’t even accept missions to subjugate low-level magical beasts!”

The little mages from the other group endured in silence.

Brandon became pleased. “Coming all the way to Dark Night Forest, if you don’t slay a dragon or something, what’s the point, right?”

The little mages from the other group kept their heads down and hurried along.

Brandon was satisfied, laughing loudly. He looked up to see his teammates walking in this direction and asked Ji Chi proudly, “So fast! What mission did we accept? I prepared several intermediate spells—one spell would be more than enough to take down a forest wolf!”

Ji Chi heard his earlier boasting and smiled slightly, stopping in his tracks to read out the mission slip in his hand word by word.

[F-Rank Mission: Pick a Glowing Flower in the outer area of the Dark Night Forest]

Brandon: “???” Are you fucking kidding me?

The little mages from the other group ran off with beaming smiles, leaving Brandon standing in place in disbelief.

He seemed to have lost his highlight.

Evan looked helplessly at the mischievous expression Ji Chi hadn’t had time to restrain, taking on the responsibility of being the peacemaker. “High-level missions can’t be accepted directly, and there’s only one S-rank mission. We want to finish the simplest missions early so we can do high-level missions afterward.”

Brandon felt much better hearing this. He breathed a sigh of relief and asked expectantly, “What’s the S-rank mission? Slaying a dragon?”

Young master, why are you so obsessed? Could you please look down at your small frame?

Evan looked at him with pity. “It’s searching for traces of the Nightingale.”

Brandon: “……”