Chapter 102


    As the water spirit fled, Yi-Han also ceased his incantation and shouted.


    "Halt right there!"


    Upon reflection, all this trouble stemmed from those water spirits in theke.


    Had they note first, Yi-Han could have leisurely tossed the White Tiger guys onto the sandy beach to thoroughly check them!


    "Wardanaz, fighting a spirit in an injured state is a bit risky...!"


    Dukma, intending to dissuade him, changed his words upon seeing the fleeing spirit.


    "No, it''s not dangerous! Let''s chase! Onward!"


    "Just, just a moment!"


    Ango hurriedly wrapped his food in leather. It was too precious to simply leave behind.


    "Chase it! It must be an underling of the skull principal!"


    Yi-Hanmanded in a voice colder than the chill of the darkening night.


    The two White Tiger students ran off, feeling as if they had be the viins.


    Despite not doing anything wrong, they couldn''t shake off the feeling that they were.


    Ango dodged to the left. A sharp water bead flew towards him, but he narrowly avoided it.


    Dukma turned right. A water spike came at him, but he ducked just in time.


    ''The attacks of the water spirits are really simple.''


    Yi-Han thought this as he approached from the center. The water spiritunched an attack at Yi-Han, who, instead of dodging, summoned a water bead and deflected it.


    Giorvan the Second, an undead summon on the sandy beach, was a big and powerful creature, but such a low-level water spirit could not defeat Yi-Han in a frontal confrontation.


    The water spirit shivered in panic as Yi-Han, exuding a fierce mana, approached.


    "Do not flee, water spirit. I mean you no harm."


    "...?"


    Ango, aiming his wooden sword at the water spirit, thought to himself.


    ''In such a situation, would anything be believed?''


    If Ango were the water spirit, he would certainly not trust easily.


    "You''re an underling of the skull principal, aren''t you?"


    The water spirit shook its head vehemently.


    Thoughcking the skill to converse with spirits, the White Tiger students somehow felt they understood what the water spirit was trying to say.


    ''Absolutely not,'' it seemed to convey.


    The water spirit, by its nature, evoked sympathy.


    Its round, watery form, emanating a gentle water aura, softened people''s hostility.


    But Yi-Han was not swayed.


    "Do not try to deceive me. The skull principal must have ordered you to do this."


    "!"


    Dukma was astonished.


    Was that the case?


    Yet the water spirit again shook its head desperately. Yi-Han pointed out calmly.


    "Then why did you attack us crossing theke, and even when we were resting?"


    "Indeed...!"


    Confronted with Yi-Han''s logical argument, the students had to agree.


    Certainly, the water spirit''s persistent pursuit and attacks were unusual.


    The water spirit iled, pointing at Yi-Han.


    "?"


    "What''s that?"


    Both were clueless as to why the spirit was behaving this way.


    Of course, Yi-Han understood.


    ''It''s saying it thought I came to attack them...''


    With that, even Yi-Han had nothing to retort.


    After all, it was he who had first unleashed his fierce mana over theke.


    "Wardanaz. What is this spirit saying?"


    "It thought that your rowing was an attack."


    "Ah."


    Ango was at a loss for words to the water spirit.


    "It was a mistake," he insisted. "Had I known there were water spirits, I would have been much more careful. I hope you believe that..."


    The water spirit looked perplexed at Ango''s excuse, as if questioning what he was talking about.


    Was this some sort of joke after Yi-Han had just dered himself fearsome?


    Instead of responding verbally, Yi-Han nodded in agreement.


    "He says he understands that mistakes can happen."


    "That''s a relief...!"


    "However, there''s no excuse for attacking us while we were resting, even if the incident at theke is overlooked."


    Yi-Han quickly moved on from the incident at theke, considering it fruitless to dwell on it.


    The water spirit fell for Yi-Han''s cunning ploy.


    Forgetting to mention the incident at theke, it pointed directly at the campfire.


    "Are you saying you attacked us because of the fire we lit at night?"


    "What nonsense...!"


    The White Tiger students were infuriated.


    From the spirit''s perspective, intruders cooking and emitting smells might have been unpleasant.


    But to attack without a warning was far too aggressive!


    In its confusion, the water spirit trembled all over, indicating a misunderstanding.


    It pointed at the campfire, the scorched marks, and Yi-Han''s staff.


    Both students were baffled again, but Yi-Han understood immediately.


    ''Hmm. It was angry because I burned the surroundings.''


    The fire he had recklessly spread while battling the undead had polluted the nearby water, understandably upsetting the resting water spirit.


    "What is the spirit saying, Wardanaz?"


    "It''s sincerely apologizing for its narrow-minded actions."


    "Hmph... will we forgive it?"


    "Yes, it''s a spirit, after all."


    The two White Tiger students decided to be magnanimous.


    Unlike the undead, spirits were a more delicate entity to handle, especially water spirits.


    The spirit, sensing the odd turn of the conversation, red intently at Yi-Han.


    Yi-Han chose to ignore it.


    The water spirit was not an underling of the skull principal, but it had been a distant observer when the principal visited the ind.


    Following the spirit''s lead, Yi-Han inquired.


    "What exactly did the principal use in his spell?"


    While Yi-Han might not know all of the skull principal''s magic, foreknowledge of his capabilities could prove advantageous.


    The spirit couldn''t speak, but it inted and transformed its body, earnestly trying to exin.


    ''A tomb? A seal? A lock?''


    It formed a small tomb shape, added a few bands representing seals, and even something resembling a lock.


    Yi-Han began to grasp what the spirit was trying to convey.


    ''The principal has imprisoned something.''


    There was only one thing that could be imprisoned.


    It was the leave permit.


    ''It wouldn''t be surprising if something happened when we approached it.''


    Yi-Han closed his eyes, trying to envision the principal''s mindset.


    ''If I were the principal, how would I have designed it?''


    ''A dungeon of trials beneath the sandy beach, and a ce with the leave permit essible only after passing through that dungeon. Sounds like something the principal would do.''


    And if that ce was locked, it was even more in line with the principal''s thinking.


    Imagine the despair after struggling through the underground dungeon of the sandy beach, only to find the leave permit at the end locked away.


    It was precisely the kind of situation the principal would relish.


    "Wardanaz, over there!"


    Ango whispered in a startled voice.


    Beyond where the water spirit halted, there indeedy a ce created by the principal.


    It was a small but antiquely charming, stone-constructed area.


    Yi-Han felt an inexplicable sense of it being akin to a temple.


    Stone stairs leading underground (seemingly connected to the sandy beach''s underground dungeon),rge stone pirs geometrically arranged on all sides with hollow interiors, and a central altar.


    Of course, whaty inside the altar was not a sacrificial offering, but rather, the leave permit.


    ''How do I send these two in first?''


    Yi-Han pondered how to get Ango and Dukma to enter ahead of him.


    To uncover the principal''s traps, a sacrificialmb, or rather, an advance party was needed.


    "Wardanaz. I''ll go first."


    "Ango. Are you insulting me? I should go first."


    "Dukma. It''s my fault this situation arose. I was the one who angered the water spirit."


    "Ango. You''vepleted your duty by building and steering the boat. Compared to that, I haven''t done anything. If I don''t step forward now, my honor as a knight is..."


    Yi-Han yawned, then tossed a coin.


    ck -


    "Heads. Ango Alpha. You go."


    "...Uh, erm."


    Ango walked forward with a somewhat dazed expression.


    He had initially nned to enter first for the injured Wardanaz, but why did he feel so confused now?


    ''Come if you dare!''


    Swallowing his solemn feelings, Ango surveyed his surroundings.


    Even as a scion of a knightly family, one would have heard about magic traps.


    Ango was prepared to withstand whatever traps might be triggered.


    Yet, no trap was sprung.


    Not when he stepped on the well-fitted stone floor.


    Not even as he passed between the stone pirs and approached the altar.


    Yi-Han was slightly surprised at this sight.


    ''Could it be that the skull principal set it to activate only when two people ascend?''


    The absence of traps was just as unsettling.


    Yi-Han was also focusing all his power to detect any magic or mana around.


    But he felt nothing.


    Either it was truly absent, or the skull principal''s skills were too advanced for Yi-Han to notice.


    ''It''s probably thetter.''


    In fact, there were no traps. Yi-Han could be confident in this sensory aspect, having even impressed the professors and the skull principal.


    But Yi-Han did not think so.


    Impossible!


    The skull principal must have done something!


    "Wardanaz. There''s a note written here by the principal."


    "What does it say? That the traps are starting now?"


    "No, not that."


    -Congrattions on making it this far, young freshmen. You may have been flustered by the sudden trials, but all of this is a process to nurture you young mages.-


    ''Annoyingly kind.''


    Yi-Han thought to himself. The skull principal''s kindness felt even more frightening.


    -Bying here, you freshmen must have learned to cooperate with friends from different towers. Now, use that learned method for the ultimate cooperation. If you ce someone inside these stone pirs, the seal on the altar containing the leave permit will be released!-


    The trio turned their heads to look at the side. Therge stone pirs, hollow inside, was spacious enough to easily fit a person.


    If cing someone inside those pirs was the key...


    Whether the altar opens or not, doesn''t this just take them further away from getting the outing pass?


    "This is absurd! There must be another way!"


    Dukma erupted in anger.


    As someone hailing from a knightly family, he couldn''t ept a trap that would separate students who had diligently united their strength to ovee trials.


    Surely there had to be another method!


    ''It seems unlikely.''


    In contrast, Yi-Han remainedposed.


    Such a scenario was exactly the kind of thing the skull principal would relish, and it didn''t surprise him in the least.


    Even if many joined forces, in the end, only one would obtain what they desired! If they felt aggrieved, they should improve their skills...


    ''Such nonsense, no doubt.''


    Yi-Han pondered.


    Should he overpower Dukma first, or should he subdue Ango first?


    Yi-Han was at a disadvantage because three people arrived at the altar, where normally two people would have arrived.


    Moreover, wasn''t one of his arms injured?


    To win, he needed to strike first before the White Tiger guys could attack.


    "Wardanaz!"


    Dukma shouted. Yi-Han flinched.


    ''Has he caught on?''


    "Stop Ango!"


    At that, Yi-Han looked up to see Ango rushing toward the stone pir.


    Yi-Han hesitated for a moment, wondering whether he should stop him or feign weakness and leave him be.


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