Wizards: Starting with Synthetic Gems

Chapter 284 Forbidden Forest Magical Plants

After Harlan Vera left, the five first-class wizard apprentices immediately looked at Locke, awaiting his instructions.

These five wizards were all quite old. Generally, wizards who have the ability to enter the Forbidden Forest Secret Realm are either geniuses or senior first-class wizard apprentices who have worked their way up step by step.

In other words, this opportunity to enter the Forbidden Forest Secret Realm is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for these five senior first-class wizard apprentices; it may be their last chance to turn their lives around.

At this moment, they all looked at him with reverence and trust, and even some relief, because Locke had already made a name for himself as the "Eye Demon" wizard a year ago. His deeds had spread widely in Lilith's Hut, and he was admired, envied, and worshipped by these wizards.

Therefore, many of them felt fortunate after learning that the Forbidden Forest Secret Realm was being led by the wizard Seed Locke.

This is a good thing.

Similarly, leading them means both power and responsibility.

With responsibility comes power; this is a truth Locke learned at Lilith's Hut.

Locke glanced at them and said bluntly, "The Forbidden Forest is extremely dangerous. It contains many dangerous wild magical plants that you have never seen before. The magical plants of the Forbidden Forest have always been known for their mystery and power. The reason why plant wizards in the southeastern region are so powerful is because of the Forbidden Forest, a natural treasure trove."

"So, once we're inside, you must obey my orders. If you leave the group without permission, you will be responsible for all the consequences."

The five first-class wizard apprentices exchanged glances, and in each other's eyes, they all saw their admiration for Locke.

Sebastian, a first-class wizard apprentice, was the first to speak up, "Yes, Senior Augustine, it is truly an honor for us to have a white wizard with practical experience like you leading the team this time."

Sebastian, a fat man dressed in a white wizard's robe, fawned over Locke, saying, "This trip to the Forbidden Forest will depend on Senior Augustine."

The others also offered their compliments.

Locke glanced at them and walked into Mistlin Drive.

My main purpose this time is not to acquire resources from the dense forest, but to find the special research project laboratory that was sealed by the wizards Foucault and Levi from five hundred years ago.

However, taking these people to clear some dungeons shouldn't be a big problem. With my current level of 900 magic pressure as an apprentice-level wizard, I have a certain ability to escape even when facing ordinary formal wizards.

As soon as Locke entered Mistlin Road, he could feel that he had entered an ecosystem different from the outside world. This Forbidden Forest seemed to be a self-contained ecosystem, and even the magical tides were different from those in the outside world.

The magical tides within the Forbidden Forest seem to be more suited to plant-based magic.

Locke opened his left palm and rotated it slightly. Instantly, the leaf blade of the Clivia flower flew out and spun in his palm for a moment.

'Indeed, plant magic is enhanced here, though I don't know the exact mechanism,' Locke pondered. 'The wizarding world still holds many secrets for me, such as this Forbidden Forest. It doesn't seem to have formed naturally; it shows signs of magical alteration.'

'But who could possibly transform such a vast forest as the Forbidden Forest? The scale of such an undertaking is simply too ambitious. What lies deep within the Forbidden Forest has always been a concern for the wizards of the southeastern region.'

It is said that even a first-ring wizard would find it difficult to escape unscathed from the depths of the Forbidden Forest, and their so-called secret realm is merely a brief stroll around the outside of the Forbidden Forest.

Locke said in a low voice, "In any case, this is indeed a good place to hide things. No matter how important something is, once you throw it into the Forbidden Forest, you can ensure that outsiders will never be able to find it again."

Various magical trees and plants lined both sides of Mysterlin Road, their canopies beginning to emit a faint green glow, a light that seemed to be a blessing. The further they traveled along Mysterlin Road, the more the First Headmaster's magic would focus on them.

At the end of Mistlin Drive stands a statue of the first Headmistress, the enigmatic witch Mistress. On the base of the statue is inscribed the words: 'The greatest enemy of a wizard is not ignorance, but self-righteous folly.'

After they reached the end of the forest path, light emanated from the eyes of the statue, and then the statue began to move aside.

It cleared a path to the real Forbidden Forest!

A mysterious and chaotic aura swept over us; it was the true magical tide of the Forbidden Forest.

Behind Locke, a hundred-year-old first-class wizard apprentice's expression changed slightly, clearly indicating that he had sensed the immense danger behind the magical tide of the Forbidden Forest.

Sebastian was about to take his first step when Locke stopped him. Sebastian paused for a moment, then realized what Locke meant. "Right, right, senior, you go first."

Locke frowned. "That's not the reason."

"look."

Locke used the ominous mandrake vine from the sleeve of his wizard's robe to lift a stone and throw it at the overgrown ground of the Forbidden Forest ahead.

As soon as the stone hit the ground, the leaves of countless wild grasses suddenly opened their tiny mouths, revealing a dense array of sharp teeth. They opened these terrifying mouths and began to tear at everything around them.

Sebastian broke out in a cold sweat. "There was absolutely no magical pressure fluctuation... that's why I overlooked it. Could it be that this Forbidden Forest is full of these kinds of things? Wouldn't that make it a death zone?"

The other four first-class wizard apprentices were also terrified after witnessing this scene.

Locke frowned slightly. "This is a mid-to-high-grade magical plant: Frog Tongue Moss. It is a common type of specialized magical plant in the Forbidden Forest. In fact, it is not a grass-type magical plant, but a moss-type magical plant that disguises itself as a plant. It can disguise itself as various shapes of wild grass, so its appearance is not consistent. However, as soon as it hears any unusual sounds nearby, it will instantly attack the surrounding area frantically."

"It's still quite troublesome."

"Haven't you heard the saying that the Forbidden Forest is a green desert?"

"Although the Forbidden Forest appears to have a diverse range of species, the life forms inside are actually highly specialized. There is a magical insect that only eats the third leaf of a specific magical plant. These highly specialized creatures are everywhere in the Forbidden Forest."

"So, although it is said to be rich in flora and fauna, it is a green desert in another sense, and it is extremely dangerous. For us who have entered the Forbidden Forest, this is not a green paradise where we can easily obtain food, but a green hell."

Locke looked left and right. The complex ecology inside the Forbidden Forest would cause it to produce a special phenomenon, and the solution lay in the surrounding area.

Locke immediately spotted two kinds of plants and animals near the frog tongue moss that could easily deal with this magical plant.

One type is the sound-absorbing mushroom. This mushroom absorbs any sound, and carrying it allows you to walk completely silently without activating the frog's tongue coating.

Another type is the sloth stone lizard, a magical lizard that lies motionless on trees all day. Its calls produce a sound attack effect similar to a slowing spell, which can slow down the attacks of the surrounding frog tongues, allowing people to pass through easily.

The ecosystem within the forbidden forest is extremely complex, with each part influencing the others. It's like the most sophisticated machine, with countless gears meshing and turning. Therefore, around every plant and animal, there will always be one that restrains it.

(End of this chapter)