Cornflower Witch

Chapter 93 Misty Forest
Hiltiya and the others stepped forward, drew a wooden stick, and then boarded the black-cloth-covered carriage according to the number on it, heading to the starting point.

Today she was wearing a beige robe, with a simple belt tied around her waist to restrain the robe and show off her slender waist. Then, inside the robe, a lantern and two swords hung at her waist.

The other trainees were also dressed in various ways, carrying their own weapons and creations.

According to the assessment rules, apart from weapons and some armor which can be purchased or crafted by others, other combat consumables must be made by oneself.

Limited by their personal rank and family background, most people's weapons and equipment do not exceed the first tier, and the students currently find it difficult to control and utilize higher-tier creations.

"This is it." The rider's voice came from outside the carriage, and at the same time the carriage cover was lifted, allowing Silti to get out.

The black-haired girl lifted the curtain, stepped off the bike gracefully, and then thanked the rider who had seen her off.

"Thank you."

The rider glanced at her with a hint of surprise, then rode away.

"Be careful tonight." Just when Siltia thought the other person had gone far away, a voice came from the direction the rider had left, making her turn around.

"I understand." She bowed again in gratitude.

"Will it be dangerous here at night?" Hiltiya looked up at the mist-shrouded mountains ahead, then stepped into them.

……

The forest was quiet, probably because it had just rained. The fallen leaves on the ground were damp, and there was hardly any sound when you stepped on them.

Not long after she left, Hilti found a branch in the forest to use as a way to probe the path, parting the thick, damp bushes and grass.

The mountain forest was vast, and the instructor's mention of the "sweet spring" provided no clues. She had to find it herself. The only thing she remembered was that the instructor had mentioned that the spring had a faint "mist" quality.

After walking for a while, Hilti stopped and took out a small vial of potion from the waist pocket of her robe. This was the 'Emerald Eye' potion that she had concocted herself, and it was the only potion she had mastered so far. Perhaps because of the 'Emerald Honey' attribute and the [Praying Dew - Combing Branches] ability, she found it easy to concoct this potion and did not spend too much effort learning it.

A drop of the potion was placed into the pupil, and the light blue pupil, which was originally like a cornflower, gradually turned emerald green. Then everything in front of him became bizarre and surreal.

Because the 'Emerald Eye' potion is specifically designed for observing plants, when she stood in the forest, her vision was overwhelmed by the 'spectrum' emitted by various plants. This massive information overload caused Hilti to feel a slight pain in her eyes.

She had to close her eyes first to calm herself down, and then slowly open them. At that moment, her heterochromatic eyes, one blue and one emerald, shone brightly, giving the girl in the forest a strange charm.

Blue Stream Grass... Black Water Mushroom... Fiery Red Grape Fruit... Perilla Moon Grass...

She muttered to herself as she counted the strange and rare plants she had discovered, but unfortunately, she could not find any trace of the spring with the 'Mist Shadow' attribute.

It shouldn't be this place. The girl closed her eyes again to soothe her overworked eyes. At this moment, the emerald green in her eyes slowly faded and returned to a soft light blue.

Let's keep going. She replanned her route, intending to pick the rare plant she had just discovered and then head deeper into the mountains.

……

Along the other path, Komia carefully skipped and hopped through the shady trees, carrying a basket, then looked around. A bell hung from her waist, occasionally emitting a crisp sound.

"Has the dough arrived yet? If it had come along, this assessment would have been much easier," Komia muttered to herself.

After learning the location of the assessment that day, she pointed out the direction to the white wolf and told it to wait for her there. However, she didn't know if the 'dough' understood. If it did, that would be the best outcome.

……

Thorin walked through the mountains, carrying a peculiar copper pendant in his hand, shaped like a chicken, with a structure that could rotate automatically.

The nature of the mist and shadow... This 'Wind-Seeking Chicken' that my dad gave me should be able to detect it, but it will also be interfered with by other 'Mist and Shadow' things, so I need to hurry up and go around a few more times.

Having made up his mind, Thorin quickened his pace once again.

……

The young nobleman, Baron, was also walking through the mountains carrying a small cage. He looked at the white bird inside and muttered to himself from time to time, "If you find any trace of the Misty Spring, call out a few times, understand?" This bird was bought by his father at a high price from a professional bird trainer, and it could detect the 'sexuality' of the bird.

Unfortunately, if he were a professional bird trainer, he could have simply released the bird and let it find its way on its own.

……

Other trainees also used various strange methods to search, and at the very least, they walked through the mountains, simply hoping for the best.

Everything was normal for the first half of the morning. However, as noon approached and many trainees ventured deeper into the forest, some issues began to arise.

"Strange, this tree looks like it has a human face on it." A student walked past a large tree and felt a chill when he saw the twisted bark and trunk.

"This one too..." Soon, he encountered another tree that was the same. Looking deeper into the forest, it seemed that there were twisted branches everywhere, some of which were withered and blackened, with fallen leaves scattered everywhere.

Around 2 PM, the first battle took place in the forest where the assessment was being conducted.

"Roar……"

The black and red wolf wrinkled the fur on its nose, revealing sharp teeth, and pawed anxiously. In front of it was an extremely nervous student.

"Don't come any closer. I know breathing techniques, and it could be a fight to the death." The student gripped his sword with both hands, staring intently at the wolf, muttering intermittently.

He had participated in a lot of training in the past, but when he actually faced the enemy alone, he was still somewhat timid and uneasy.

However, the wolf in front of it didn't have much patience. It rushed out at an extremely fast speed, heading straight for the student's legs.

In a moment of panic, he swung his sword and missed. Then he felt a sharp pain in his left foot. Looking down, he saw the wolf biting his trouser leg, its teeth probably embedded in his flesh.

Driven by intense pain and fear, he picked up his sword and stabbed the wolf with all his might, drawing a gush of blood.

"Ahhh—" As if to bolster his courage, he kept stabbing and slashing at the wolf in front of him until it was beyond dead, and then he gradually calmed down.

Even though Tilang was fierce, he could be suppressed by a student who had trained for several months and mastered the second-stage breathing technique, relying solely on his physical strength. However, he lacked experience and lost his composure first.

After this battle, the student became much more mature and decisive, and gained a little confidence. He bandaged his calf and continued to venture deeper into the forest.

……

Of course, not all students are this inexperienced.

In another corner of the forest, the blonde Iona moved swiftly forward, easily slicing through any wild beasts or monsters she encountered with her twin swords, spilling blood on the ground while she herself remained clean and untouched by blood.

Because of her father being a general, Iona went hunting with adults from a young age and witnessed many battles. She was experienced and unlike ordinary girls, she was not timid and hesitant.

Although she didn't know the exact direction of the spring, she was familiar with the assessment process. Such a spring must be located deep in the forest, not near the starting point, and there must be special beasts lurking and guarding the area around it.

Therefore, she only needs to find this area, a place where a large number of wild animals gather, to find clues about the spring.

……

At the starting point closest to the main road, Mick followed the trail of marks and hurried forward, feeling a little uneasy.

These are the marks left by Gerald's adventure team. Could it be that they also entered this place?
This is not a safe place. Many team members have not even condensed their 'first-order' nature yet, and it will be extremely dangerous for them to face those powerful monsters used for the assessment.

Naturally, he thought of the giant wild boar he had encountered while hunting before, and his heart was filled with worry.

I need to hurry up. I hope Brother Jero and the others are alright.

Yes, Brother Gerald is stronger, braver, and more experienced than me. He'll definitely be fine.

The boy silently recited the words and rushed into the depths of the forest marked by the symbol.

(End of this chapter)