Wizard + System

CH239

One month later.

Helag, Reese, and David stood in the mountains, gazing at the familiar mountain range in the distance. They all felt a sense of relief, as if they had returned home.

They had intentionally slowed their pace on the way back, taking their time like they were slacking off at work.

What could have been a ten-day journey was stretched into a month.

After all, they only needed to survive the full year. Returning too early would mean more missions.

With the escalating war, most missions now carried significant risks.

If something went wrong right before the year was up, they'd lose everything.

Not only would they face danger, but they might also lose their chance to enter the Land of Dawn for failing to complete their mission.

Helag, with his experience in slacking off, had thought it through.

Under normal circumstances, they would have returned around this time anyway, but Helag had completed the mission far too quickly and easily.

The three of them had spent the journey leisurely exploring, camping for a day or two whenever they felt tired.

With plenty of supplies in their space rings, they had no shortage of food or drink.

David didn't know it, but Helag and Reese had been having the time of their lives.

Recently, they had discovered a natural hot spring at the top of a mountain, where they enjoyed a long, relaxing soak.

Of course, David didn't get to enjoy it. He had voluntarily stayed at the foot of the mountain to keep watch.

Helag and Reese spent the entire night in the hot spring, and with no one around, they indulged themselves freely.

***

When they returned to the Lim Mountain Range, they noticed that the number of altars had increased significantly—there were now about 40 or 50.

When they had left, there had only been 20 altars. In the three months they were gone, the number had more than doubled.

The number of magical creatures in the Lim Mountain Range had also increased dramatically, with monsters everywhere.

Upon returning to Base 27, Parker immediately summoned Helag.

"Lord Parker, I've placed all three teleportation markers. Here's the map of the area," Helag said, handing over a map he had drawn.

The map detailed the area around the fence, the wooden gate, and the forest. It didn't include the deeper parts, as it would have been unrealistic for him to venture that far.

The map also marked the locations of the three teleportation markers.

Parker glanced at the map and nodded. "Very good! Helag, you've done an excellent job. I didn't expect you to place the markers so deep without alerting the elves. That's impressive."

Helag had placed the markers deeper than Parker had anticipated.

Parker had expected the markers to be placed on the outskirts, but Helag had managed to bypass two layers of defenses and place them further inside.

For a gaseous wizard, this was quite an achievement.

Parker didn't ask how Helag had managed to infiltrate the area—he didn't care about the details.

Parker only cared about results. As long as the mission was completed, nothing else mattered.

Of course, Parker couldn't have imagined that Helag had been escorted inside by the elves themselves, disguised as a royal elf prince.

"You three have passed the assessment with flying colors. I'm very satisfied. When the time comes, the teleportation array will be activated again, and I'll send you back," Parker said with a grin, putting away the map.

"Thank you, Lord Parker!" Helag said respectfully.

Parker looked at Helag and said, "For the next month, I won't assign you any more missions. Strictly speaking, Helag, you're already one of us. Before you took on this mission, I promised that if you completed it, I'd let you join the wizard organization I'm part of."

"I always keep my word. From now on, you're a member of Seranthiel. I'll make the necessary arrangements, and when you enter the Land of Dawn, someone will be there to meet you."

"As for your two companions, it'll depend on their own abilities once they enter the Land of Dawn. To be honest, I only had my eye on you. Normally, they wouldn't pass the assessment for the War of Conquest."

"But for me, it's just a matter of saying the word."

Helag expressed his gratitude, "Thank you for your support, Lord Parker!"

Helag hadn't heard of Seranthiel and didn't know much about it.

But there was no need to ask—any wizard organization in the Land of Dawn would be powerful.

Since Parker was a third-level wizard, it was clear that Seranthiel was no small organization.

Helag wasn't in a position to be picky. Being accepted into a wizard organization in the Land of Dawn ahead of time was already a huge opportunity.

Though Helag had many questions, some were better left unasked.

For example, the Six-Ring Tower.

Helag hadn't found any information about the Six-Ring Tower in the Barrens.

He figured that once he reached the Land of Dawn, he might be able to find some clues.

But since he didn't know what kind of organization the Six-Ring Tower was, he didn't dare ask about it openly.

He'd have to wait until he reached the Land of Dawn to gather more information and make further plans.

Parker smiled, "No worries. Base 27 is actually fully controlled by Seranthiel. Some of the people here belong to other organizations, but that's just the result of mutual interests."

"Take this time to rest. I have the authority to grant you that privilege," Parker added with a chuckle.

Helag nodded and asked, "Will we be able to return here in the future?"

"Of course. For us, the War of Conquest has only just begun. Conquering a plane takes a long time—sometimes thousands of years. We've only just arrived."

"During the conquest, if you ever want to return, just let the organization know, and someone will arrange it for you. But I wouldn't recommend coming back before you reach the second-level wizard rank. It's still dangerous here, and first-level wizards are too fragile in a plane war."

Parker offered his advice. Since Helag was now part of the organization, Parker was willing to share some truths.

Helag, Reese, and David had been lucky to be assigned to Base 27.

They had experienced a long period of relative peace, with minimal danger.

Just as the conflict with the native elves of the Elven Plane had begun, their year was almost up.

Overall, the three of them hadn't faced any life-threatening situations. Most of the dangers they encountered were manageable.

However, without Helag, it would have been difficult for David and Reese to survive until now.

At the very least, passing Parker's assessment on their own would have been nearly impossible for them.

CH240
"Mr. Parker, how are things in Oberstein now?" Helag asked.

Parker replied, "Pretty much the same. The elves have brought in a new army of treants to bolster their defenses. But it doesn't matter—we're just trying to wear them down. We're not in a hurry."

The Shadow Altars had summoned numerous magical creatures, all with the goal of exhausting Oberstein's forces.

Summoning creatures only required magic, which was a low-cost strategy.

However, the elves' treants weren't summoned; they were a species under the elves' control, though not particularly intelligent.

Parker continued, "The three teleportation markers you placed are crucial. With those in place, the elves are doomed."

"Once we're ready, we'll teleport in and completely wipe out the elves of Strange Valley. They won't stand a chance."

If Parker and his wizards teleported directly into the heart of the elves' territory, the outcome was already clear.

Parker was simply waiting until they were fully prepared, with more powerful wizards arriving at Base 27. Once they had enough strength, Strange Valley's elves wouldn't be able to resist.

Helag listened quietly, not saying much.

Speaking less was always a safe bet—some things were better kept to oneself.

After leaving Parker, Helag returned to his cabin.

"My lord, you're back," Asna greeted him, dressed in her casual clothes, not as revealing as before.

She hadn't known when Helag would return, so she hadn't dressed provocatively.

Asna only dressed up for Helag.

Seeing him suddenly return, Asna was both surprised and delighted.

She had been sitting by the fire, reading some spellbooks Helag had left behind.

Asna had been diligently studying the principles and models of magic.

Though some concepts were different, the basics were similar enough.

Asna put down her book and ran over, throwing herself into Helag's arms, hugging him tightly.

Helag stroked her back and asked, "Have you had any trouble while I was gone?"

Asna shook her head, "No, I've mostly stayed inside. Food is still distributed on time, and the wizards here have been too busy to bother me."

Helag nodded, understanding the situation.

With the war escalating, the wizards had plenty to keep them occupied. No one had time to cause trouble for a servant like Asuna.

And since Asna was Helag's servant, anyone causing trouble for her would be causing trouble for him.

Given that Helag had been out on a mission, Parker wouldn't have allowed anyone to mess with him. Otherwise, who would feel safe going on missions in the future?

As Helag's hand moved across Asna's back, it eventually slid over her smooth skin, feeling the softness beneath his fingers.

After three months apart, they had missed each other dearly.

Reunions after separation always carried a special kind of passion, leading to a sleepless night.

***

The next morning, the cabin was a mess, with clothes scattered all over the floor, evidence of the previous night's frenzy.

There was a knock at the door.

"Helag, are you awake?" Reese called from outside.

Helag sensed that only Reese was outside and said, "Come in."

Reese opened the door, and the sight of her took Helag by surprise.

She had clearly dressed up, with flawless makeup that made her face even more captivating.

She wore a tight skirt that hugged her body, accentuating her curves.

When Reese entered and saw the two of them in bed, Asna quickly pulled the blanket over herself, looking a bit embarrassed.

Reese smirked at the scene, "Did I come at a bad time?"

Helag chuckled, "No, you came at just the right time."

***

By sunset, it was clear that "one day" had turned into more than just a day.

Helag sat by the fire, cooking salted meat and vegetables.

Reese and Asna were both exhausted, too tired to cook.

Helag had initially wondered how to handle the situation between them after returning.

But once Reese had joined in, he realized he had worried for nothing.

This wasn't his previous life—there was no drama or jealousy between Reese and Asna.

Both women were smart and knew Helag didn't like unnecessary trouble, so they got along without any arguments or passive-aggressive behavior.

Reese and Asna had very different personalities. Asna was shy, even more so now with another person involved.

She had always been bashful around Helag, and with Reese present, her embarrassment only grew.

Even now, Asna's face was flushed red as she hid under the blanket.

Reese teased her from time to time, "Little Asna is so cute."

Asna blushed even more, trying to avoid Reese's playful hands, nearly falling off the bed in the process.

"Stop teasing her," Helag said, glancing over.

Reese laughed and stopped, letting Asna have a break.

A few days later, Helag, David, Reese, and Asna gathered in Helag's cabin to discuss their next steps.

"According to Mr. Parker, the three of us will be able to enter the Land of Dawn. I'll be joining Seranthiel directly, but you two won't be able to join a wizard organization just yet. We'll make further plans once we're there," Helag explained.

David nodded, "I'm already more than satisfied. Before coming here, I wasn't sure if I'd even make it back. I was prepared for the worst. I owe everything to you."

David was genuinely grateful to Helag, not only for saving his life but also for helping him gain entry to the Land of Dawn.

For a wizard from the Barrens, this was a debt of immense gratitude.

"It's nothing. I have a feeling things won't be easy in the Land of Dawn. There will be plenty of challenges ahead. We'll deal with them together," Helag said.

The wizards in the Land of Dawn were much stronger, and the problems they'd face would be more complex.

It would be best if the three of them could continue working together, as trustworthy allies were hard to come by.

For now, they stayed put at Base 27, waiting for the time to teleport back to the Wizard Plane.

Parker hadn't assigned them any more missions, even though the other wizards were quite busy.

Parker had his reasons. While he saw great potential in Helag, he knew Helag was still too weak.

By not assigning them more missions, Parker was ensuring that Helag wouldn't die in the War of Conquest, which would be a loss for him.