The wizards looked at Dago with complex expressions, some disdainful, some joyful.
Suddenly, a sneering laugh, full of contempt, echoed through the clearing.
“You don’t seriously think the Academy, even with us rats, can withstand an invasion from the Dark Blood Council, do you?”
Dago realized it was the same gaunt, middle-aged wizard from earlier, speaking with a look of mockery and disdain.
As he spoke, many people in the clearing exchanged glances, some even showing clear signs of wanting to leave.
“A bunch of old, weak, and sick people still dreaming of stopping a notorious terrorist organization in the Wizarding World, and trusting an Academy dog…”
Dago frowned and looked at the gaunt wizard who had spoken again.
Old Marico stepped forward, pointing a finger at him and cursing, “I kindly told you about the Dark Blood Council, but you’re ungrateful and sarcastic.”
“Do you, old man, have to be a busybody? If the Dark Blood Council comes, I’ll just join them. At least I’m a Level 3 Apprentice Wizard.”
The gaunt wizard retorted to Old Marico with an indifferent expression.
“You…” Old Marico was so angry he was speechless.
“Shut your stinking mouth.”
Dago suddenly roared, and everyone looked at him in astonishment.
He stared at the gaunt wizard with icy eyes, a deep blue halo slowly swirling in his pupils.
The gaunt wizard glared back fiercely, his expression grim as he said, “Academy dog, who gave you the guts to speak to me like that?”
No sooner had the gaunt wizard finished speaking than he suddenly sensed Dago’s mental energy fluctuations were stronger than his own, and his face changed drastically.
He scrutinized Dago for a moment, his face filled with incomprehension, and said, “Such a young Level 3 Apprentice Wizard? And still living in the forest like a rat.”
“I like it,” Dago said indifferently, raising a hand slightly, ready to teach him a lesson.
“You’ve got some skill, but you just wait.” In the end, the gaunt wizard didn’t dare confront Dago directly. He left with a harsh threat, his face grim, and hurried away.
Seeing him leave, Dago spoke again, “Tomorrow morning, I will bring the people from the Academy here to discuss forming the Forest Patrol with everyone.”
The wizards dispersed, each lost in their own thoughts, but before leaving, their gazes towards Dago held a hint of respect.
Dago estimated that he would be quite famous in this forest from now on.
“Dago, I didn’t expect you to progress so quickly.”
After the wizards in the forest dispersed, only Dago and Old Marico remained by the campfire.
Old Marico’s expression was very complex; he knew some of Dago’s background, who had only been a Level 1 Apprentice Wizard a month or two ago.
Dago didn’t hide much and said, “Didn’t I ask you about the moonlight flower before? I can already refine Mental Potions, so my strength has grown relatively quickly.”
Old Marico glanced at Dago and sighed, “I didn’t expect you’d actually dare to go there to pick them. Even I don’t dare to venture into that area.”
Dago smiled a little guiltily, not responding.
“Are the people from the Academy reliable?” Old Marico asked again.
“Their strength should be decent, but their character isn’t so great.”
“Let’s take it one step at a time. We’ll discuss the Forest Patrol tomorrow morning, but I wonder how many wizards will actually show up.”
Old Marico said with slight unease.
“It’s fine; it’s up to their own will. We can’t force those who don’t want to stay,” Dago comforted Old Marico.
As the campfire in front of them gradually faded, the two left, each lost in their own thoughts.
After Dago returned to the Shelter, he sighed, “It’s a troubled time.”
In the afternoon, he used the moonlight flowers collected yesterday to refine five Mental Potions, storing them as strategic resources.
Then he began to cultivate in the open space outside.
The next day, Dago set off early to the Academy to find Viser, and they traveled together to Old Marico’s place to discuss the Forest Patrol matters.
The two walked along the winding, dim forest path, neither speaking a word.
With the arrival of autumn, the forest showed signs of desolation.
After about thirty minutes of walking, the two finally reached their destination.
A campfire was lit, and six figures sat around it, chatting. Seeing Dago and the other arrive, they all stood up and turned their gaze towards them.
Dago nodded to each person by the campfire, then pointed to Viser beside him and introduced him to everyone, “Viser, a mid-stage Level 3 Apprentice Wizard, the Academy’s genius wizard.”
A young Level 2 Apprentice Wizard spoke with a joyful expression, “I’ve heard of Viser’s name. This is great; our team’s strength will be much stronger now.”
The standing individuals nodded in agreement, smiles appearing on their faces.
Old Marico stepped forward, extending his hand for a handshake, saying, “A warm welcome to you.”
Viser glanced at Old Marico’s hand but ignored him, so Old Marico awkwardly withdrew his hand.
Dago watched this scene with displeasure, feeling a bit annoyed. He was about to say something, but Old Marico gestured to Dago that it was nothing, telling him not to be impulsive.
“Almost everyone is here; those remaining probably won’t come. Next, we will form the Forest Patrol,” Dago said.
The young Level 2 Apprentice Wizard looked at Viser with admiration and was the first to speak, “Then, who will be the leader, that is, the captain? I propose we elect Viser as our captain.”
Old Marico glanced at the young wizard and said in a firm tone, “Ian, Dago and Viser are both Level 3 Apprentice Wizards, but Dago has very rich experience in forest hunting, which will be very helpful to the team.”
Viser spoke, “I have the strength of a mid-stage Level 3 Apprentice Wizard, while he is merely a beginner.”
“Dago killed a mid-stage Level 3 Apprentice Wizard member of the Dark Blood Council,” Old Marico said dismissively.
At this, everyone looked at Dago in surprise and stopped talking; such a formidable record was truly remarkable.
“If no one objects, then I will be the captain of the Forest Patrol from now on.”
Dago stepped forward and said expressionlessly.
“First, we need to trust each other. Let’s each state our name and strength.”
Everyone spoke over each other in a chaotic manner, which gave Dago a headache, but in the end, he remembered all of it.
The Forest Patrol consisted of eight people, with only himself, Viser, and Old Marico as Level 3 Apprentice Wizards.
Most were Level 2 Apprentices, and there was also a little sister with her head down who was a Level 1 Apprentice.
Dago had a plan in mind and said, “Our patrol will first implement a three-three system. I, Old Marico, and Viser will lead three separate squads.”
After some discussion, they began to divide into teams. Old Marico and The Evans formed one small team.
Two younger male Level 2 Apprentice Wizards, Ian and Gavin, both chose to follow Viser.
Only Serena, a Level 1 Apprentice Wizard, was left unwanted, and Dago could only accept her with a wry smile.
After all, he was the captain and the most powerful wizard in the team.
“Once the teams are formed, the three groups will be distributed in a triangular formation, ensuring that any two groups can communicate effectively by shouting, and if one group discovers a target, the other two groups can arrive to provide support within 5-10 minutes. This distance is approximately two hundred meters.”
Dago elaborated on the upcoming arrangements.
“If you understand, everyone spread out and first patrol the red-dot areas on the parchment map, with my group as the arrowhead and the other two groups as the flanks.”
Subsequently, everyone dispersed according to their groups.
Serena followed behind Dago; she took a step when he took a step, which made Dago feel a bit speechless.
She was slender, about 160cm tall, and always habitually hunched over slightly, with her head down, trying to shrink herself into a small ball to reduce her presence.
She had long, light gray hair, with the ends slightly naturally curly.
It was always loosely tied into a low ponytail, with a few strands of stray hair falling on either side of her cheeks, as messy as her restless thoughts.
“Tell me your story,” Dago said as he walked.
When Serena saw Dago looking at her, her cheeks quickly flushed, and she unconsciously twisted the corner of her robe with her hands, stuttering and even too nervous to form complete sentences.
After ten minutes, Dago finally roughly understood her story...
She was the last descendant of a declining wizarding family; the family’s glory was long gone.
All that remained was a dilapidated wizard manor and a house full of ancient books on magical plants.
From a young age, her parents had placed high hopes on her, wishing for her to restore the family’s honor, but this expectation brought her immense pressure.
During her studies at Aynak Wizarding Academy, Serena was often bullied by other classmates due to her family’s decline and her introverted personality.
She dared not resist and could only move into the forest, isolating herself.
It seemed she was a victim of Academy bullying, and Dago’s favorable impression of the Academy plummeted.
“So, you’re a little rich wizard, then? That’s much better than me,” Dago said playfully.
Serena’s face instantly turned red, and she stammered, not knowing what to say.
However, Dago wasn’t here for a picnic or to flirt. During their conversation, he had kept Detection Art activated, observing the surrounding energy particle fluctuations.
Plus, with this Level 1 Apprentice Wizard beside him who had zero combat power, the pressure was immense.
Seeing him stop talking, Serena looked enviously at his clean and beautiful Level 3 Apprentice Wizard robe.
Then she looked at her ill-fitting gray robe, burying her head even lower, like an ostrich.
Her robe was an old family heirloom; its wide sleeves and floor-length hem made her appear even smaller, as if she could be swallowed by the fabric at any moment.
Faded vine patterns were embroidered on the hem of the robe, a symbol of the family’s past glory, now dimming with the decline of the Veorlin family.
“Be confident; walk with your head held high,” Dago said, feeling annoyed at her ostrich-like posture.
“Okay, Sir Dago,” Serena said, raising her head, looking as if she had been bullied.
Dago’s eyes, with their swirling deep blue halo, casually scrutinized Serena.
Her skin was almost transparently pale, with scattered freckles that looked like accidentally spilled magical gold dust.
Her large, light green eyes were always timidly cast down, as if hiding endless unease and shyness.
Overall, she was still a very beautiful young woman.