Above the mage

Chapter 95 Encounter Battle

"Each person leads a team of about twenty mages, and every kilometer, a team of people is spread out to each side to carry out the cleaning work."

Over here, Mage Velsa was already issuing instructions methodically: "Send a signal immediately if you encounter any problems that you can't solve, and I will get there as soon as possible."

The order was received by twenty 1st-ring mages, who were also affiliated with the Bremen City government.

At Vilsa's instruction, each first-ring mage selected more than twenty non-official mages to form twenty teams.

All the teams proceeded in sequence, and for every kilometer they advanced, two teams would leave the convoy and enter the forests on either side of the official road.

After six mage teams left the convoy, it was finally Gaode's turn.

A middle-aged monk appeared and pointed to four carriages, including the one Gao De was in, saying, "You, you, you, and you, get out of the carriages and come with me."

The apprentice monks in the four carriages were already mentally prepared.

Upon hearing the order, they all jumped out of the car and followed the middle-aged monk into the mountains.

The four carriages they were traveling in, along with a dozen or so city guards, would wait for them on the official road.

Firstly, it provides necessary logistical support; secondly, it is for transporting valuable ley line creature corpses.

Leaving the official road and entering the mountains and forests, the stench of decay hit us immediately.

The dense foliage made the light somewhat dim.

The group moved through the dense forest, their footsteps rustling as they walked on the thick layer of fallen leaves and withered branches.

Gao De followed in the group and found that although he was a little nervous, he was more eager to try.

The middle-aged monk who was leading the group had already begun casting spells as soon as he left the official road.

His eyes became deep and bright, as if they could see through all illusions and pretenses.

Gao De, who noticed this scene, knew what was going on; clearly, it was a detection spell.

Compared to the haphazard learning of spells by "wild mages," the spells learned and mastered by mages under the official system have one major characteristic: they are systematic.

From reconnaissance to combat, it is very comprehensive.

"Pay attention to your surroundings, especially above you. I only have one pair of eyes, so I can't guarantee that I can take care of everything." As if sensing that everyone was becoming a little lax, the middle-aged monk reminded them.

Upon hearing this, everyone felt a chill run down their spines and became more vigilant.

However, the moment the words fell...

Whoosh!

A dark shadow suddenly swooped down from the shadow of a towering tree at an incredible speed.

It was a huge bird of prey.

Its dive was precise and swift, and it had already locked onto its target—a mage apprentice who was lagging behind in the group.

The mage apprentice, whom he had targeted, seemed to be terrified and stood there motionless, stunned.

The next moment, the bird's sharp claws suddenly lashed out, like a sharp dagger, slicing across the mage apprentice's chest.

In an instant, blood splattered, and the apprentice monk collapsed before he could even scream, his fate unknown.

The whole process happened in the blink of an eye.

This sudden attack instantly brought everyone to their senses.

After successfully launching its attack, the bird emitted a sharp cry, seemingly as a show of defiance.

Its feathers were jet black, and its eyes gleamed with a cruel light.

"You beast!" the leading middle-aged monk roared.

He took a deep breath, raised his right hand, and his fingertips shimmered with blue light.

With the middle-aged mage's angry shout, blue light suddenly erupted, transforming into an ice blade that gleamed with cold light, shooting towards the flying monster in the air!

The ice blade traced an elegant arc in the air, as if even the air itself had frozen.

Sensing the threat from the ice blade, the flying monster let out a piercing scream and tried to evade the spell by flying at high speed.

However, in the hands of the middle-aged monk, a new blue light began to shimmer and glow.

Whoosh!

The ice blade grazed the feathers on the belly of the flying monster. Although it did not hit the monster directly, the chill emanating from the ice blade made it shiver.

But before the flying monster could make its next move, another ice blade arrived.

It accurately hit the left wing of the flying monster.

A burst of ice crystals splattered, and along with a shocking wound, a thin layer of ice crystals covered and spread across the monster's left wing.

In an instant, the flying monster lost its balance and plummeted uncontrollably downwards.

During its fall, it struggled to regain its balance, but to no avail. Finally, it landed on the ground with a thud, letting out a painful scream.

"Die!" The apprentice mages, who had just been frightened, saw the flying monster fall to the ground and, in a fit of rage, also unleashed their spells to attack.

In an instant, several, even dozens, of attacks landed on the flying monster.

Even with its incredible resistance, this avian monster couldn't withstand the continuous barrage of spells from the apprentices and was instantly blasted to death, becoming a dead bird.

Even Gaode Maps got involved.

Unfortunately, he wasn't the lucky one who delivered the final blow, and therefore didn't obtain the source.

However, these are not the most important things right now.

Everyone looked at the mage apprentice who had been ambushed by the flying monster.

At this moment, he lay on the ground, his clothes torn, revealing a horrifying wound that exposed bone.

The person has lost consciousness and is losing their life.

The middle-aged monk who was leading the group frowned slightly when he saw this, but that was all.

He took out a "basic healing potion" that he had prepared beforehand and applied it to the wound of the attacked mage apprentice to help stop the bleeding temporarily.

"Send him back to the caravan; the caravan has mages who are skilled in healing spells."

The middle-aged monk didn't show much emotional fluctuation. He randomly pointed to one of the remaining monk apprentices and gave him instructions.

"Okay!" The apprentice monk who was pointed out felt as if he had been granted a pardon and quickly replied.

—Anyway, you get paid for each day you work, so it's always a good thing if you don't have to fight.

"The rest of you, continue the mission with me. Remember this: these beasts always like to ambush and attack. If you get caught in their trap and your injuries are too severe, even healing spells might not be able to save your lives," the middle-aged mage reminded the group, who had not yet achieved their goal.

Everyone nodded silently, clearly taking the reminder to heart.

Practice teaches people; they learn it in no time.

Witnessing their companions contract the virus completely shattered the sense of relaxation in everyone.

A sense of oppression permeated the group.

Everyone was thinking about the same question: If that bird had been targeting them, what would have happened to them?

Once this idea is conceived, no one can relax.

Gaode's concept has also changed:

He ultimately underestimated the complexity of hunting creatures in the wild.

He figured that with a large group and an official sorcerer leading the way, their safety should be assured.

But the truth is, anything can happen in the wild.

Teaming up can only improve safety a little, but if you only think about relying on others, you won't even know how you died.

Only on your own.