The Lord Demon King is Unfathomable!

Chapter 1397 - 406: The Apprentices' Choice

The biting cold wind whipped with ice fragments, lashing against everyone's face on the snowfield.

Before the entrance of the maze, a gigantic pit lay open and ugly, the rock layers at the bottom reflecting a stubborn cold light under the magic glow.

"Once more!"

Merk's voice was distorted by the tearing wind.

His mage robe danced wildly in the snowstorm, the usual meticulous scholar demeanor long replaced by anxiety and exhaustion.

In front of him, several assistants stood side by side, firmly gripping long staffs pointed forward.

They gathered the remaining magic power into a stream, consolidating into an earth-yellow beam and blasting it at the pit bottom, exploding into a chaotic snow mist!

"Boom——!!"

Kemidir charged ahead, almost exhausting his spiritual power in casting, his pale face full of guilt.

It was him who suggested to the Master to introduce the undead from the Rhode Kingdom... If it weren't for his rashness, things would never have spiraled out of control to this extent.

However, when the magic light dissipated, the scene at the pit bottom plunged everyone into despair.

"It's not working, Master!" An assistant exclaimed with exhaustion, "The 'Rock Dissolving' got deflected! The situation here... seems a bit off!"

In the pit, strange dark red crystals covered the entire bottom like a giant scab.

The magic blasted onto it like mud disappearing into the sea, only splashing some feeble sparks without leaving even a hint of a dent.

"Useless!" Merk roared, shoving away the exhausted Kemidir and personally stepped onto the edge of the pit, assuming the main casting position of the Casting Group.

He cannot fail!

Professor Arist entrusted him with overseeing the entire trial; it is a great trust from the Professor and the Tower of Sages!

If three thousand apprentices met with misfortune under his supervision, especially due to his negligence, his academic career would be completely over!

"In the name of dust and mountains, heed my command and dance, transform into an unstoppable spear, shatter the earth's barrier!"

Merk raised his magic wand high, obscure and impassioned spells spilled rapidly from his mouth.

The air twisted visibly, surging magic gathered at the wand's tip, the light so intense that the surrounding assistants instinctively closed their eyes.

He smashed the spell, imbued with all his strength, ferociously onto that ominous dark red!

"Boom——!!!"

The deafening roar nearly tore his eardrums, the powerful shockwave lifted the surrounding snow several meters high, like waves rolling on the snowfield.

Yet, when the dust settled, the red crystal at the pit bottom... didn't even have a single crack.

Merk's breath halted.

'This... how is it possible?!'

He staggered forward, a storm brewing in his heart.

This is Silver Level Destructive Magic!

A strike capable of demolishing fortress walls!

Several assistants who provided him with magical support couldn't hold on any longer, fainting backward, saved from falling into the snow pit by nearby apprentices.

Merk walked dejectedly to the pit edge, staring fixedly at the crystal, finally seeing the full extent of the rock layer within the pit.

It was smooth and dense, as if it were some creature's shell.

Just as he stared, the crystal surface pulsated with ominous light, like a giant beast's heartbeat.

Simultaneously, a dull and prolonged low hum emerged faintly from deep within the earth's veins, resembling the singing call of a giant whale from the deep sea!

All the assistants showed terror on their faces, helpless in the face of the situation.

"What is this thing?!"

"Wait..."

"It seems to be alive!"

"Saint Sis above... quickly summon the Sages from the Holy Power School!"

Listening to the distant yelling and shouting of the assistants, Merk's pupils shrunk sharply, a drop of cold sweat sliding down his temple.

The land beneath, along with the maze imprisoning thousands of apprentices, seemed to have already transformed into a...

Living monster.

...

In a passage on the first floor of the maze, a ludicrous "interrogation" was taking place.

"Speak up! Where is the treasure chest key hidden?"

Player [Meichuan Qiu Kuo] was waving a leg bone he picked off the ground, threatening the magic apprentice suspended upside down in a net.

The Translation Crystal hanging on his chest marked him as a wealthy player, freeing him from using sign language to communicate like other players.

"I... I don't know about any key!" The apprentice was ready to cry, his face flushed red from the inverted suspension.

"Still hard-mouthed?" [Wang Chuan Neiku] searched through the apprentice's pockets, only finding a few pathetic copper coins, unable to resist expressing disdain, "With just this money, do you dare to join the trial?"

The apprentice's face turned red, lips quivering in anger.

Who carries money when participating in the maze trial!

Those copper coins were picked from the monsters in the maze, now all taken by this group of undead playing against the rules.

[Chuanli Yifu] was meanwhile studying the magic wand confiscated from the apprentice, touching his rough chin bone and evaluating.

"Crude workmanship, poor material, not wanted even in 'Beep——' shops."

The so-called "Beep——" is actually the "Great Graveyard," but like the word Hell, it's automatically silenced by the Translation Crystal.

It wasn't an important thing originally.

Just then, as the three enjoyed the fun of "recovering" spoils, a deep hum resonated from the ground beneath their feet.

"Hm?" Meichuan Qiu Kuo paused, looking around with a puzzled expression, "What sound?"