The Wizard's Secret Journey

Chapter 103 Golden Thorn Selection (11)

After half a year of expansion, the number of members of the Horsens School has already exceeded 10,000.

Most of them were wild wizard apprentices and some mortals who were recruited later, and institutional reform was imperative.

Eighty percent of the Golden Thorn apprentices selected after the reform have been apprentices of the Horsens School since childhood, which is a much more normal proportion.

Lin En looked around and saw that there were 35 first-class Golden Thorn apprentices around him, with a wide age range, ranging from early teens to around 10 years old.

As for how many of them are wild wizards recruited from outside, it is hard to tell.

However, after Anderson finished speaking, three first-class Golden Thorn apprentices walked forward without hesitation.

They happened to be a teenager, a young woman and a middle-aged man.

From what others said, Lin En roughly learned the identities of the three people.

The boy's name is Samuel, and he is a famous genius in the school. He has rare long light green hair, soft facial features, and a gentle appearance, making it difficult to tell his gender.

The middle-aged man also came from the school. His name was Morrison. He looked dull and ordinary, and was not very famous.

As for the young woman, not many people know her well, and she probably doesn't come from a school. She is extremely tall, almost two meters tall, with clear muscle contours, and a cheetah-like bodybuilding.

After the three people came forward to sign up, more Golden Thorn apprentices came forward one after another.

Most of them are first-class wizard apprentices, but there are also a few second-class wizard apprentices.

Lin En did not go forward to sign up. He had just been promoted to a first-class wizard apprentice. His accumulation in all aspects was not enough, and his strength was not outstanding among the first-class wizard apprentices. There was no need for him to go forward and ask for trouble.

Finally, Anderson announced the number of applicants, a total of 36, of which 7 were second-class wizard apprentices.

They will draw lots to face off against each other in the next round.
The rules are very simple: the winner goes up and the loser goes down, it’s a double-elimination system.

The 18 apprentices who lost in the first round will enter the loser group and fight against each other to decide 9 winners. They will continue to fight with the 9 losers decided by the winner group, and the winners will enter the next round.

The last three remaining wizard apprentices were Goldenthorn.

The drawing of lots was quickly completed, and Anderson signaled the two apprentices who drew number one to come forward.

Morrison, the middle-aged man who signed up first, and a young second-class female wizard apprentice came out.

Seeing that his opponent was only a second-class wizard apprentice, Morrison felt slightly relieved. He strode onto the stage and looked at the female apprentice with a gentle expression.

"When you're ready, let's start," Anderson announced calmly while hanging in the air.

"Okay, Mr. Anderson." Morrison and the female apprentice responded in unison.

The two confronted each other for a while, and the female apprentice shouted and shot a fireball at Morrison!

She cast the spell very quickly, and the orange-yellow fireball was quite powerful, and it was obvious that she had a solid grasp of the fireball technique.

Morrison's face was gentle. He had already cast defensive magic on himself. Even though he was just standing there, the fireball could not break through his defense.

But out of respect, he still used flying magic to dodge to the side.

As expected, the fireball missed.

The first-class wizard apprentice has the blessing of flying magic, and his flexibility has been qualitatively improved. Just flying a kite like this is enough to kill a second-class wizard apprentice!

Of course, Morrison didn't intend to do that. He growled and launched an attack.

"Schoolgirl, be careful!"

Swish!
A flash of witchcraft passed through his hands, and a light blue missile took shape instantly and shot towards the female apprentice!
0-level intermediate sorcery: Lant Missile!

The female apprentice had a solemn look on her face and tried to dodge, but she didn't have the flying magic and she wasn't a physical wizard. She couldn't dodge the Lantech missile, whose strong point was tracking, just by relying on her legs!

What's more, the power limit of this witchcraft is originally a medium-level 0-ring. In the hands of a first-class wizard apprentice, its power is slightly improved!

boom!
The missile hit the female apprentice in the blink of an eye, easily shattering the defensive magic on her body, and then it was completely destroyed.

It is obvious that this plain-looking middle-aged man has also achieved great success in witchcraft!

The female apprentice wanted to resist, but pale green vines grew out from under her feet and tightly wrapped around her.

"I lost..." The female apprentice tried to struggle, and finally shook her head.

Morrison also loosened his restraints at the right time and praised:

"You have a solid grasp of fireball magic, and your defensive magic is also good, but you are weak in dodging. Maybe you can try to learn some body movement magic."

The female apprentice nodded seriously and replied with a smile:

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Morrison."

The atmosphere between the two was very cordial and harmonious, and it was more like a senior instructing a junior than an actual fight.

Of course, this is essentially true.

"Molia, are you sure you want to give up?" Anderson asked in a deep voice.

"...I confirm, Mr. Anderson." Moria was stunned for a moment, a little confused.

"Then walk out of the square yourself," Anderson continued, his face serious.
"I've said before, this is a real fight where any means are unjustified. Verbal surrender cannot determine the winner, it can only be used as a means of confusion.

"The battle will only end when you escape from the entire square or I determine that you cannot withstand my attack, and then we can determine the winner."

Anderson turned to look at the Golden Thorn apprentices who were participating in the competition, and finally asked in a deep voice:
"Do you all understand?"

The actual combat assessment was a decision made by Wizard Horsens himself. Although Anderson did not quite understand it, it did not affect his meticulous execution of Wizard Horsens' orders.

Anderson has always followed the powerful and wise figure of Horsens, and the latter has never let him down.

"We don't have much time left... Mr. Hosens must have his reasons for doing this."

Anderson thought silently, and signaled the apprentice who drew number two to step forward and fight.

This group is the talented boy Samuel, and a brown-haired boy named Gray who is about the same age as Lynn.

If Samuel is a gentle, confident and beautiful boy, then the brown-haired boy Gray is his opposite.

The boy was strong, with a scar on his left cheek that was larger than his eye, messy brown hair, and a silent and gloomy temperament.

"I don't like the boy sitting opposite Sir Samuel very much. He looks... a little dirty." Caroline said in a low voice.

Leah didn't answer, but just said sorry and continued to squeeze forward.

"Where are you going, Leah?" Caroline asked.

Leah looked at Lin En's back in front of her, paused and said, "I want to go to the front, where I can see more clearly."

"I see. It is indeed clearer in front. Wait for me, Leah. I also want to see Samuel up close!"

Caroline said as she squeezed forward behind Leah.

The two soon came to Lynn.

"Senior Lin En." Leah greeted in a low voice. Caroline was stunned for a moment and then followed suit.

"Liya, this..."

"Caroline Rice."

"Junior Caroline." Lynn turned around and responded, then looked forward.

The battle there has already begun.

Samuel and Gray are confronting each other.

Caroline tore her gaze away from Lynn and turned back to Leah, rolling her eyes slightly.

He clearly came here to look for Senior Lin En, and he even said that he could see it more clearly from the front.

She really wanted Leah to see whether she was watching the battle in the middle of the square, or who she was looking at?
"Liya, who do you think will win?" Caroline asked in a low voice.

"Hmm?" Leah came back to her senses, looked towards the center of the square, thought for a moment and said, "I don't know."

Caroline rolled her eyes again and muttered:

"Do you know who's fighting who right now, Leah? You're not even paying attention to the battle!"

Leah blushed and emphasized:

"Of course I know, it's Samuel and a wizard apprentice named Gray!"

"Then don't you know who will win? It must be Sir Samuel. He has been a first-class apprentice for 5 years, and has the guidance of his father, who is a first-level wizard. Now it is said that he is ready to be promoted to a first-level wizard..." Caroline said.

"But you don't know his opponent Gray, right?" Leah interrupted Caroline and said, her face regaining calm.

Caroline paused. At this time, Lynn next to her interrupted:

"I heard someone nearby say that Gray is from a small sect in the original Black Rose Wizard Territory."

Although the Golden Thorn selection did not require the Golden Thorn apprentices to watch the battle from the sidelines, almost all of the Golden Thorn apprentices gathered at the edge of the square to watch the battle.

When there are more people, there will be more conversations, and more information will be revealed in the words.

Lin En had already blessed himself with the wind-hearing technique, so he could hear all the conversations around him.

"The Black Rose School has disappeared, so Gray's original school..." Leah was slightly stunned.

"Nature also died." Lynn replied calmly.

The wizard apprentices who were able to become Goldenthorn apprentices of the school as outsiders basically came from some small schools or declining formal wizard families.

For ordinary mortals, unless they have any adventures, it is basically impossible to meet the strict requirements of the Horsens School for Golden Thorn apprentices.

Amid the conversation among several people, Samuel and Gray, who had been confronting each other for a long time, finally took action.

At the same moment, Lynn keenly noticed a new figure appearing next to Wizard Anderson.

The person who came had the same green hair as Samuel, but it was short.

He greeted Anderson respectfully, then turned around and calmly looked at the battle in the square.

From the conversation next to him, Lynn learned the identity of the visitor, who was Samuel's father, Chester, a first-level senior wizard.

Stab it!

The two people in the center of the square were so focused that they were unaware of this.

Gray's face was silent, and he didn't make any movement. Suddenly, a few clusters of light blue electric lights appeared on his body. His whole body swelled slightly, and he took a step forward, bursting out with an extremely terrifying speed, and rushed towards Samuel!
Samuel did not panic. He just flew up and cast Green Vine Spell on the ground to stop Gray from moving forward!
I thought that the green vines would be able to stop Gray's attack, but he didn't dodge or evade, but kept moving forward like a red-eyed bull!
Susu!

The green vines grew rapidly. Samuel was the direct descendant of a first-class wizard. His blood and spiritual characteristics were different from those of ordinary people! The power limit of the 0-ring medium-level green vine technique was the 0-ring superior-level green vine technique. In the hands of a second-class wizard apprentice, the range of action was only about 1.5m*1.5m. Even if it was cast by a first-class wizard apprentice, the range was only doubled to about 3m*3m.

But in Samuel's hands, the range of the Green Vine Technique can reach an astonishing 5m*5m!

But Samuel can do more.

At this time, the green vines that were usually evenly distributed in square or circular shapes actually formed a "greenway" that was ten meters long and nearly two meters wide under Samuel's control!
In this way, Gray's approach speed can be slowed down to the greatest extent!

crackling-

Gray quickly plunged into the greenway. Dazzling lightning flashed continuously and shadowy green vines entangled continuously, making it difficult to see the specific situation.

His movements were extremely wild and carried a sense of madness, but his expression was extremely silent.

It feels like the hot and gloomy sky before a rainstorm!

Samuel had a sneer on his face.

It has to be said that Gray's decision to venture into the Green Ivy Technique was not a wise move!

Samuel flew higher to avoid any accidents, and at the same time began to chant in a low voice the most powerful witchcraft he mastered - the Emerald Cage!
As long as it is cast successfully, Gray will no longer have any chance to resist!
In mid-air, Chester looked at this scene and frowned slightly.

Swish!
The next moment, Gray's figure appeared behind Samuel like a ghost. His face remained silent, and he used his right hand as a knife to slash towards Samuel's neck!

Gray's palm was surrounded by clear blue-purple electric light, carrying a terrifying aura of destruction!

Anderson increased his focus and prepared to take shots at critical moments.

But Samuel's father, Chester, whispered:

"No need to take action, Mr. Anderson. If he can't even survive a battle like this, then death might be a good thing for him."

Anderson glanced at Chester and said nothing more.

At this time, Samuel's eyes flickered and he whispered softly, "I found you."

Swish!
Samuel didn't look back and rushed forward at full speed.

Gray's eyes fluctuated slightly, but he quickly reacted and planned to hide again and look for another opportunity.

Susu!

But Samuel did not give him such an opportunity.

Jade-green vines appeared out of thin air around him, entwining with each other to form a large green net that surrounded Gray from all directions!

'In battle, unless there are special circumstances, never use any magic that cannot be cast instantly... Father, did you see that? I have always kept your warning in mind!'

Samuel turned his head slightly and looked at his father who was standing next to Anderson.

When the figure with electric light plunged into the green vine technique, Samuel discovered that it was not the real Gray, but just some kind of clone.

If it were an ordinary person, there would be no way he could use the Green Vine Technique to discover that the figure was just a false clone.

But Samuel's talent is not just as simple as making the Green Vine Technique more powerful.

The talent he inherited from his father Chester also enables him to have strong control over witchcraft such as Green Ivy Magic, and extremely keen perception!

Samuel had already mastered the emerald cage to the point of being able to cast it instantly, and the chanting just now was just a trick!
Chester stood next to Anderson, ignoring the gaze from Samuel. His expression even became cold, let alone showing any praise or joy.

Samuel was used to this. His eyes dimmed and he turned his head, ready to deliver the final blow to Gray who was trapped in the emerald cage.

The young man with a silent expression was still struggling, with electric light swirling in his hands, constantly cutting off the green vines around him, but those green vines kept growing and healing, layer after layer, with almost no end in sight!
"Don't resist in vain. Unless my magic power is completely exhausted or you can use a first-level attack, the emerald cage will never break."

Samuel said lightly, controlling the emerald cage to shrink continuously.

Stab it!

Crackling!

Blue and white electric light flashed, vines broke one after another, and the air was filled with a burning smell, but the green cage was still shrinking little by little and unstoppably!

Gray suddenly restrained all the electric light in his body and took a deep breath.

The next second, boom!

A dazzling blue-white light suddenly burst out from the emerald cage.

"You can't break the Emerald Cage. This is a sorcery my father made just for me!"

Samuel's expression changed slightly and he increased his magic power output!

In the blue and white light, Gray's whole body shrank strangely. His originally plump muscles wilted like a punctured balloon, and his joints made noises.

Soon, his body changed from the sturdy figure of a normal teenager to the short figure of a child.

The blue and white electric light continued to be output, and Gray's muscles continued to shrink.

Finally, a hole the size of a human head appeared in the green cage in front of him.

Gray's eyes were shining, and he rushed forward without hesitation, successfully breaking free from the emerald cage!

He certainly couldn't destroy the entire emerald cage directly, but he could still do it by widening the existing gaps in the cage!

The blue and white electric light finally disappeared, and only then did the Golden Thorn apprentice present see Gray's appearance clearly.

For a moment, all the Golden Thorn apprentices present were in an uproar!

Not only was Gray's body several times smaller, but his wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles were all twisted and folded!

The whole person is like a human ball!
"Hiss... That looks so painful." Caroline gasped and shuddered.

Leah beside her also looked frightened.

The fight continued, Gray's joints creaked, and he quickly returned to normal shape.

But due to the previous outburst of energy without regard for consumption, he lost a lot of weight. Standing there with sunken eye sockets, he looked like a skeleton covered in human skin!
The pain in his body continued to come, and there was a tearing pain in every pore, but Gray's face remained silent.

On that bloody night when the Lei Shi School was destroyed.

When Gray watched his teachers, seniors, and juniors being slaughtered, and watched his "family" collapse, he had already used up all his ability to feel pain...

Now there was only silence on his face.

Swish!
Gray stared at Samuel and disappeared again.

Samuel's face darkened and he looked around vigilantly. He immediately canceled the emerald cage to save magic power.

He thought Gray would take a moment to catch his breath in the dark.

But just the next second, Gray's figure appeared again in Samuel's body.

This time, the boy's expression remained silent, but a rare madness appeared in his eyes!
His left arm, as thin as a dead tree, began to disintegrate from the fingertips, and dazzling destructive lightning burst out and pierced Samuel!
Samuel's face changed drastically as he realized that this was not an attack that the defensive magic he currently possessed could withstand!

Samuel tried to pull back, but it was too late!
At this critical moment, Anderson finally took action.

The dazzling lightning was dissipated by the invisible force, and Gray's already broken left hand also stopped disintegrating.

Just in that short moment, the little finger and ring finger of his left hand had already disintegrated in half.

"I declare that the winner of this duel is Gray," Anderson said.

Samuel looked flustered, glanced at Chester, then looked at Anderson and said:
"Sir Anderson, I can still fight. I haven't lost yet!"

"Shut up." Before Anderson could answer, Chester next to him scolded him.

"Pack your things and go finish the practice you are supposed to do today."

"But, Father... Sir Chester, I only lost one match. According to the rules, I have to lose another match to lose the qualification to become the Golden Thorn."

"Samuel, don't you understand yet——" Chester's expression was cold.
"Others may have two chances, but you only have this one chance."

Samuel's eyes gradually drooped. He was silent for a moment and replied:

"I understand, Lord Chester."

Chester didn't respond, but turned to Anderson and flew away.

Samuel stood there for a moment, then quickly left without a sound.

The intensity of this battle was beyond everyone's imagination.

The conversations among the Golden Thorn apprentices present were noticeably less.

Many people looked at Gray standing next to Anderson with a hint of fear in their eyes.

They didn't understand why Gray acted almost like he was fighting a real life-and-death battle when it was just a battle for the qualification to become the Golden Thorn!

That kind of cruelty, that kind of madness that disregards pain and personal injury is terrifying!

Lynn looked at Gray, who was like a rotten wood, and her heart was not at peace.

Whether it was Gray or Samuel, the strength they displayed was far beyond that of himself, who had just been promoted to a first-class wizard apprentice.

Whether it was the explosive fireballs or the White Crow sword energy that he mastered, they seemed insignificant compared to Samuel's superb vine witchcraft and Gray's powerful and mysterious power that seemed to combine the power of the flesh and lightning.

Perhaps the only thing that can compare to the two of them is the Golden Mist Shadow Technique.

But Lin En hasn't even redeemed this witchcraft yet...

Anderson, on the other hand, neither praised nor criticized Gray's actions.

He simply healed Gray's broken finger, handed him two bottles of potion that had been prepared for this situation, which could restore his energy and magic power, and then continued to preside over the battle.

The next one was the young woman who signed up first. Her name was Kaioli. She had a fierce temperament similar to Gray, and her strength was also unexpectedly strong.

She is tall and appears to be a physical wizard, but is in fact exceptionally skilled in ranged magic.

She didn't use any special witchcraft. She just relied on a few ordinary witchcrafts to defeat a first-class wizard apprentice of the same level in a few moves.

Judging from his overall strength, he is at least at the same level as Gray!

The fighting in the square continued, and there were several dangerous battles afterwards, but in terms of cruelty, none of them was as cruel as the second battle between Samuel and Gray.

Five days later, all the battles were over and the Golden Thorn selection was settled.

They happened to be three of the six apprentices who dueled at the beginning.

The young boy Gray, the young Kaioli, and Morrison, the only middle-aged apprentice from the Horsens school who has better luck.

(End of this chapter)