Wizard: I Have a Nightmare World

Ten days was enough time for Lynn to read through the information about the Totem World three times over.

Every morning, he would appear on time in the supply distribution hall of the Seventh Logistics Squad, unfold the rolled-up animal hide map, and trace the route along the contours of the continent with his finger again and again.

After three days, the edges of the map had been worn smooth by his fingertips.

The terrain of the Totem World is not complicated. The continent is an irregular rectangle with the Totem Holy City in the south-central part. Seven citadels are distributed around it, with each citadel about half a day's journey apart.

Beyond the acropolis lie vast wildernesses, dense forests, and mountains, teeming with totem beasts and wild totemists.

"With the Holy City at its core and seven abutments surrounding it, it is a typical concentric circle defense structure."

"To conquer the Holy City, we must first capture at least three fortified cities, otherwise our supply lines will be cut off."

Lynn muttered to himself, drawing a circle around the Totem Holy City with his fingertip.

"At least four."

Du Wei's voice came from the side.

Lynn looked up and saw Du Wei carrying a steaming cup of brown liquid and placing it on the table in front of him.

Then, Du Wei sat down opposite him, his gaze falling on the map.

"The two fortified cities to the west are positioned to support each other; if they are not taken down together, they will be attacked from both sides."

"The southern fortress controls the water source; if we don't take it, the main force will have trouble even getting water."

Lynn silently kept this information in mind.

During these ten days, he not only studied the materials, but also used midnight to simulate the battle environment of the Totem World in the Nightmare World.

He conjured phantoms of totem creatures in the nightmare world, experimenting with the efficiency of using a combination of wind blade and wind rune spells to kill them, and also testing the defensive effects of stone armor and water curtain spells against fire attacks.

He even replicated a Silverblade Grass, trying different methods of harvesting and processing it, and finally found the best way to preserve its medicinal properties.

But during those ten days, he also noticed some unusual things.

Lynn discovered that the apprentices gathered at this outpost were not limited to the White Raven Tower family.

Three college signs hang in this gray-brown guard post.

In addition to the white raven emblem of the White Raven Tower, there is a black shield emblem engraved with a blood-dripping longsword, and a silver ring emblem wrapped with thorns.

"Those are the symbols of Steelscale Academy and Lunar Ring Academy."

"The Sotal Holy Mystic Academy has a total of thirteen branches. The White Raven Tower is the thirteenth, the Steel Scale Academy is the seventh, and the Moon Ring Academy is the fourth."

Du Wei noticed Lynn's gaze and began to explain.

"So this expedition isn't just about White Raven Tower?"

Lynn asked, puzzled.

"Of course, it's not just about plundering a small plane. We need at least a hundred apprentices and three formal wizards to lead the way before we can open the plane portal."

"How could White Raven Tower's family possibly gather so many people?"

Du Wei took a sip from his cup.

Lynn nodded thoughtfully.

However, he soon discovered that the atmosphere among the apprentices in the three branches was not harmonious.

On his first day, when he went to the logistics department to collect his personal supplies, he encountered three apprentices dressed in dark gray patriot robes at the entrance.

The three men wore the Bloodstained Longsword Badge of Steel Scale Academy on their chests.

Lynn stepped aside to make way, but the leader of the three, a young man with a buzz cut and high cheekbones, stopped in front of him.

"From White Raven Tower?"

His gaze swept over the badge on Lynn's chest, his tone flat yet carrying an inexplicable chill.

Lynn frowned and looked the other person up and down.

"What's up?"

The young man with the buzz cut didn't answer, but just stared at him for two seconds, then his lips curled down slightly, as if he had seen something unpleasant.

He didn't say another word, and walked straight over with his two companions. When his shoulder brushed past Lynn's shoulder, they bumped into each other lightly.

Lynn stood there watching the three people's figures disappear at the end of the corridor, his brows furrowing even deeper.

The next day, he encountered a similar situation while eating at the makeshift canteen at the outpost.

Several apprentices from the Ring Academy fell silent after seeing the white raven badge on Lynn's chest. Their gazes lingered on him for a few seconds before casually looking away.

But the sense of rejection conveyed in that silence is even more jarring than direct verbal provocation.

"They all seem to dislike our White Raven Tower."

After Lynn returned to the supplies distribution center, he told Du Wei about it.

Du Wei put down the screwdriver in his hand, his smile faded slightly, he was silent for a moment, and then sighed.

"Since you've already encountered all this, you'll know the truth sooner or later, so I'll just tell you directly."

"Actually, the rift between White Raven Tower and Steel Scales and Moon Ring wasn't formed overnight."

Du Wei leaned back in his chair, his gaze becoming somewhat deep.

"Why is that?"

Seeing Du Wei like this, Lynn became curious instead.

"Because of the previous plane that was plundered."

Du Wei's voice became lower.

"About six months ago, the Fifth Legion of the Crescent Expedition discovered a medium-sized plane, and its resources were assessed as excellent."

"According to the Life Academy's allocation rules, whoever discovers a plane has priority in mining it."

"The Fifth Warband is led by official wizards from Steelscale Academy and Moonring Academy; that plane should rightfully belong to them."

Lynn listened quietly.

"But the White Raven Tower expedition, which is the Third Chapter to which your mentor Bloodvine Wizard belongs, suffered heavy losses during its astral exploration."

"The commander of the Third Battle Group applied to the academy's higher-ups to allocate some resources from the Fifth Battle Group's plane to replenish the Third Battle Group's supplies."

Du Wei tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table.

"Of course Steelscale and Lunar Ring are unwilling. That's a plane they discovered; why should it be given to someone else?"

"But Bloodvine Wizards lobbied within the academy's upper echelons and ultimately secured that one-third of the quota."

Hearing this, Lynn already had a pretty good idea of ​​what was going on.

"and then?"

"Then, after the people of White Raven Tower entered that plane, they clashed with the people of Steelscale and Moon Ring."

Du Wei's tone became even more serious.

"The cause of the conflict remains undetermined, with both sides offering their own versions of events."

"But the outcome was certain: Steelscale Academy lost seven wizards, Moonring Academy lost five, and White Raven Tower paid the price of your mentor, Bloodvine Wizard, being seriously injured in order to retain one-third of that plane's quota."

Lynn's pupils suddenly contracted.

He finally understood why the Bloodvine Wizard was so badly injured; it wasn't an ordinary accident, but a severe blow suffered during the interdimensional war.

"That's why the Steelscale and Moonring people hate White Raven Tower, believing that White Raven Tower stole what they had."

"The people of White Raven Tower hate Steelscale and Moonring, believing they stabbed them in the back."

Du Wei spread his hands, a hint of helplessness on his face.

"None of the three parties are innocent, but none of them are entirely in the right either. This feud was formed and carried over to this expedition."

Lynn remained silent for a long time.

He suddenly remembered the last words the Bloodvine Wizard had said to him in front of the teleportation array: "Don't trust anyone, including your teammates."

It turns out that the "teammates" the teacher was referring to were not only his White Raven Tower team, which had not yet arrived, but also these "comrades-in-arms" who belonged to the Secret Saint Academy but were hostile to each other.

"Will the Steelscale and Lunar Ring people make their move at this outpost?"

Lynn asked the most practical question.

Du Wei shook his head.

"No, there are official wizards stationed at the outpost, and infighting is prohibited."

"But once you enter the totem world, things might be different."

He stood up, patted Lynn on the shoulder, and said with a hint of helplessness in his voice.

"I'm telling you this not so that you'll seek revenge on anyone, nor so that you'll take sides."

"I just want you to know that in the totem world, you not only have to be wary of the totemists, but also of your own people behind you."

Lynn's gaze fell on the Totem Holy City region marked with a red circle on the map.

He was shocked to discover that this astral expedition was far more complex than he had imagined.