"Hmph, since you refuse a toast and insist on drinking a forfeit, don''t me us for being impolite." The leader of the ck-robed figures waved his hand, and the others immediately spread out, encircling the group. A fierce battle was about to erupt.


    Dean Bruce muttered to the headmaster and the young magician, "We just dealt with that ck vortex and used up a lot of our magic. Better stay alert." The headmaster nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the ck-robed figures around them, preparing forbat.


    The ck-robed figures struck first, sending beams of dark magical energy shooting toward the group.


    "Everyone, stay alert! Defend!" Dean Bruce shouted.


    The group hastily cast spells, erectingyers of magical shields to block the attacks.


    The students huddled together, supporting one another. Though fear was evident in their eyes, none of them backed down.


    "We can''t just keep defending; we need to counterattack!"


    Dean Bruce said, spotting an opening. Heunched a powerful spell toward one of the ck-robed figures. Caught off guard, the figure staggered backward a few steps after taking the hit.


    "Well, well, not bad," the figure sneered, regaining bnce. "But this is just the beginning."The ck-robed figures intensified their assault. Their spells intertwined, forming arger, more powerful magical array that loomed menacingly over the group.


    The headmaster noticed this and quickly shouted, "Focus your attacks on the southeast corner of the array. The magical fluctuations there are weaker. We might be able to break it!"Hearing this, everyone concentrated their attacks on the southeast corner. Brilliant bursts of magical energy collided with the ck-robed figures'' array, creating dazzling sparks.


    However, the array was overwhelmingly powerful. Despite theirbined efforts, it merely wavered slightly, remaining intact.


    The ck-robed leader smirked. "Hahaha! With your pitiful strength, you think you can destroy our magical array? Just ept your fate and die."


    As frustration mounted among the group, Dean Bruce suddenly recalled his earlier experiments with artifact runes in the library—particrly his improvisations with spatial magic. Taking a deep breath, he decided it was worth a shot. After all, they had nothing to lose at this point.


    He shouted, "Listen to me! Let''s cast a spatial transference spell together and move their array to the skies above the valley. Without a solid anchor, it might copse!"The headmaster and the young magician exchanged nces. Though the idea seemed far-fetched, they had no better options. They joined Dean Bruce in chanting the spatial transference spell.


    The students, regardless of whether they understood or not, followed the teacher''s instructions without question, pouring their remaining magic into the spatial transference spell.


    Miraculously, as their magic pooled together, an unusual spatial ripple began to form. The ck-robed figures'' magic array shockingly started to shift upward, slowly moving toward the skies above the valley.


    The ck-robed figures panicked. "This… this can''t be! How could you possibly know such magic?!"


    They frantically tried to stabilize their magic array, but it was toote. Once the array was fully transferred above the valley, it lost its connection to the ground''s magical support. Cracks began to form, and with a thunderous BOOM, it exploded. The powerful shockwave of magic energy rippled outward, sending the ck-robed figures stumbling and iling.


    "Wow, Dean, your n actually worked! I thought you were just making stuff up again," the young magician eximed excitedly.Dean Bruce gave a sheepishugh. "Heh, well, it was a gamble, but I didn''t expect it to actually work!"


    The ck-robed figures, though battered and disoriented by the sudden turn of events, were clearly not ready to give up. They struggled to regain their footing, preparing tounch another attack.


    At that moment, a loud horn sounded from outside the valley. Momentster, a group of magicians in ornate robes arrived in force—it was the Magic Guild, responding to the distress signal.


    The lead magician shouted, "You ck-robed scoundrels! How dare you cause trouble here? You must have a death wish! Watch how we deal with you!"Seeing the reinforcements, the ck-robed figures knew the tide had turned. The leader snarled bitterly, "You got lucky today, but don''t think this is over. We''ll meet again!" With that, they transformed into wisps of ck smoke and fled in haste.


    Only then did the group finally breathe a sigh of relief. The students cheered, celebrating the end of what had been a harrowing ordeal.


    Dean Bruce looked at the students, smiling warmly. "You all did a fantastic job today. I''m especially proud of the courage and unity you showed in the face of danger."


    The headmaster added, "This test may have been fraught with unexpected challenges, but it has revealed how much you''ve grown. Once we return, we''ll carefully evaluate your performances and assign your scores."


    The young magician turned to Dean Bruce with a teasing grin. "Dean, you really have a knack for making things up on the fly. Maybe you should keep it up—who knows, it might help us solve more big problems in the future."Dean scratched his head, chuckling awkwardly. "Well, if my wild ideas keep working, I''ll take it as a lucky charm."


    Though exhausted from the nerve-wracking ordeal, everyone was relieved and even a little ted by their sess.


    However, just as the group began to unwind, a member of the Magic Guild hurried over to Dean Bruce, his expression grave."Lord Dean, bad news—there''s been a new development in the Duchy of Tanya."


    Dean Bruce furrowed his brow. "What kind of development? Take your time and exin."


    The guild member took a deep breath before continuing, "The team we sent to the Duchy of Tanya for further investigation has lost contact. The clues we had gathered earlier have also gone cold. The situation in the duchy is bing more and more mysterious, as though some unseen force is manipting everything from behind the scenes."


    Hearing this, the headmaster''s expression grew serious. "It seems the matter in the Duchy of Tanya is far moreplicated than we anticipated. Dean, you must exercise extreme caution this time."Dean Bruce nodded. "Yes, I understand. This won''t be simple."


    The young magician stepped forward. "How about I go with you? Another pair of hands could be useful."Dean Bruce considered it for a moment. "No, the school still needs your help here. Besides, this mission is under the Magic Guild''s jurisdiction—I can''t just bring anyone along."


    Without further dy, Dean Bruce and the guild member swiftly returned to the Magic Guild, where Tia Nars was already waiting. Upon seeing him, she hurried over, saying, "Dean, the situation has changed. We need to revise our n. I''m concerned that Nozer and his team may have encountered a stronger enemy. The elders we initially selected might not be enough. I''ll arrange for a few more powerful magicians to join you."


    Dean Bruce replied, "Guildmaster, it seems our enemies are anything but ordinary. We need to understand their true motives—why they''ve gone to such lengths to set this intricate trap in the Duchy of Tanya."Tia Nars nodded in agreement. "You''re right. I''ve already instructed the guild''s intelligence division to investigate thoroughly. Hopefully, we''ll have some useful information before you depart."


    While waiting for intelligence updates, Dean Bruce sought out individuals who had close ties to Nozer Hawthorne, hoping to uncover any overlooked details.


    From an elderly magician, he learned that Nozer had mentioned a mysterious ancient reliclocated near the Duchy of Tanya. Rumored to hold immense magical power, the relic might be linked to the upheaval in the duchy. Nozer suspected the recent events were tied to this ancient artifact.


    Shortly afterward, the intelligence division sent word. They had discovered a mysterious faction operating frequently near the Duchy of Tanya''s borders. These individuals moved stealthily, as though searching for something.


    Moreover, subtle clues suggested a potential connection between this faction and the ck-robed figures who had attacked the school previously.


    Using this new intelligence, Dean Bruce and Tia Nars revised their ns, assembling a more formidable team of magicians for the mission.


    Before departure, Dean Bruce addressed the team, his tone grave. "This mission will be fraught with danger. Stay vignt. Our goals are twofold: to rescue Master Nozer and uncover the truth behind the upheaval in the Duchy of Tanya."


    The team set out, racing toward the Duchy of Tanya. Along the way, Dean Bruce kept turning over various scenarios in his mind, contemting possible challenges and devising strategies to handle them.


    As they approached the border of the Duchy of Tanya, they could sense a suffocating magical aura lingering in the air. The surrounding environment felt unusually sinister and oppressive.


    Suddenly, a thick mist appeared ahead of them. Within the mist, faint magical fluctuations could be detected, like a massive trap waiting for them to step in.


    Dean Bruce signaled for the team to halt. "Be cautious. There''s something wrong with this mist. Don''t rush forward."An elder stepped up. "Let me try to disperse the mist."


    With that, he cast a powerful wind spell, attempting to blow the mist away.


    The mist wavered slightly but did not dissipate. Instead, a chillingugh echoed from within.


    "Ha ha ha, you''ve finally arrived. We''ve been waiting for you to walk into our trap."


    A sinister voice resonated through the fog. Dean Bruce frowned deeply. "It seems the enemy already knows we''re here. Everyone, prepare for battle. Don''t break formation."


    The team members gripped their weapons tightly and cast defensive spells, their eyes fixed on the swirling mist.


    Suddenly, countless ck vines shot out from the fog, whipping toward them. The vines were covered in sharp thorns, emanating dark magic and exuding an aura of lethal poison."Use fire magic to attack the vines!" Dean Bruce shouted.


    The team immediatelyunched a barrage of fire spells. mes collided with the vines, producing a sizzling sound as dark smoke billowed into the air.


    As the group battled fiercely against the vines, shadowy figures emerged from the mist—it was the ck-robed figures. They wielded wands, muttering incantations under their breath, and unleashed spells toward Dean Bruce and his team.


    While fending off the attacks, Dean Bruce carefully observed the ck-robed figures. This time, their attacks were far more coordinated, disying a level of organization and strategy that hadn''t been present in their previous encounters.