Dark Magus Returns

The students and teachers hadn’t split up, despite how massive the shrine truly was, which, in Raze’s opinion, was a smart decision.

None of them knew the true level of this dimension. With the students lacking real combat experience, it was far safer to keep them grouped together.

Rather than encountering beasts, which oddly seemed absent so far, the students had focused on exploring and searching for artifacts.

They began in the area they had first arrived at: a grassy, rectangular section of land. The space was littered with collapsed crates, shattered pots, and even what looked like fragments of broken weapons jammed into the ground. The students began digging, investigating the debris to see if anything valuable remained.

Some used their magic to assist in the process. Since the teachers hadn’t forbidden it, the rest assumed it was a valid method of searching.

“How do we even know we’ll come across an artifact in the first place?” Chiba asked, skeptical.

“The item will resonate strongly with magic,” Raze replied.

Both Chiba and Yolden were surprised to hear his voice. Last they’d seen him, Raze had been wandering away from the group. What they didn’t know was that he wasn’t searching for artifacts, he was simply surveying the area in general.

“All artifacts resonate strongly with magic,” Raze continued, stepping a little closer. “Through our research, we’ve learned that it’s not the effects of the items that make them special, but the items themselves.

“I’m sure you’ve all learned in your enchanting lessons, some materials are far more susceptible to magical influence than others. The ones that react naturally to magic are the best candidates for enchantment.

“All artifacts share this same quality: an intense reactivity to magic. There’s even been ongoing discussion among scholars. Is it that these items were enchanted and thus became artifacts? Or were they already so magically reactive that they naturally absorbed energy and transformed into artifacts over time?”

“Good explanation,” Luka said, suddenly appearing behind them with a satisfied grin. “I’d heard you were smart as well as skilled. So, I assume you also know the two classifications of artifacts?”

“I do,” Raze answered calmly. “Artifacts are more than just rare magical items, they’re mythical-grade or higher. Anything enchanted beyond the mythical grade is considered an artifact, like the ones that were donated to us. But the true artifacts… those are the items found in other worlds.”

Luka, clearly satisfied with the answer, gave a short nod before turning and walking off.

“The amount of knowledge you have never ceases to amaze me,” Yolden said, shaking his head in awe. “Sometimes I think you leave even the teachers speechless. How do you know all of this?”

“I’m not from the same place as the rest of you,” Raze said, glancing away. “All I could do was study. It was the only way to rise up.”

With that, he moved off to check on the rest of the group.

After some time scouring the grassy ruins, the group concluded that there were no artifacts in this section of the shrine.

“Alright everyone, it’s time to start searching the hallways and each of the rooms!” Panla called out. “The hallways are narrow, so we’ll be walking in a single line. Once I’ve cleared enough space, each of you will search a room one by one. If you find something, signal immediately!”

The students nodded in unison and followed her lead. They soon entered one of the shrine’s main halls, lined with broken, crumbling statues. None of them could even guess what the figures were supposed to represent.

From there, they moved in a rectangular path, checking room after room before proceeding deeper into the shrine.

As the students walked along, they began to notice more destruction, walls cracked, doors missing, statues in pieces. Some rooms didn’t even have sliding doors to separate them from the next.

When Panla gave the go-ahead, groups of four entered each room to begin their search. The students didn’t feel unsafe, they could hear their classmates in the adjacent rooms, and the absence of beasts only boosted their confidence.

Panla and the other teachers patrolled up and down the hallway, keeping a watchful eye.

“Should we keep searching this shrine for another hour?” Redrick asked. “Odds are the Underfang have already combed through this place.”

“It’s mostly for the experience,” Panla replied. “Let them have a bit of a breather too. After this, we’ll resume looking for more beasts. I’m still a little uneasy about venturing too far from the entrance. We haven’t seen a single beast strong enough to gauge the level of this area.”

“Hey, we’re here,” Redrick said with a grin. “We’re more than enough to protect them. Besides, these students are special. Still, I wish I could see what the transfer students are really capable of.

“After everything I’ve heard, I want to judge their skills for myself.”

Meanwhile, in one of the rooms, Liam had joined the rest of Pagna’s students, everyone except for Raze. The four of them were paired together for this part of the search.

As they moved through the dimly lit space, it didn’t take long before Liam spotted something on the floor. He bent down and picked it up.

“What is it?” Beatrix asked, peering over his shoulder.

“According to the system,” Liam said, “it’s a broken shell.”

Beatrix examined the object. From the curve and size, it looked more like part of a large plate, but if it really was a shell, that meant the creature it came from had to be enormous, and she was wondering something else as well.

“And the other issue is…” Liam added, his voice quiet, “it’s fresh.”

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