My Magic Has No Upper Limit

Chapter 125: Chapter 124: Lena

After leaving the Room of Serenity, Zelir walked straight to the Mage’s Guild’s central plaza, which was the designated meeting point.

By the time he arrived, he saw that nearly all the Mages participating in the Monster Hunting event had gathered.

They were gathered in small groups, talking amongst themselves in low, excited, and nervous voices.

Zelir carefully counted them and tried to identify their Levels.

There were quite a few people, over a dozen in total. However, including himself, there were only four Junior Mages.

Among the crowd were a few familiar faces.

"Zelir, I was just wondering where you were."

Bev’s clear, pleasant voice rang out.

"How could I be late on such an important day?" Zelir replied, waving a hand in greeting.

He noticed a pink-haired girl standing beside Bev.

Judging by her insignia, she was a Magic Apprentice.

She had slightly chubby cheeks and a small, pert nose. The black Magic Robe she wore made her skin look even fairer.

The girl seemed to be quite close with Bev. They stood very near each other, as if whispering secrets.

"Oh, right, let me introduce you."

Bev affectionately took the pink-haired girl’s hand.

"This is my good friend, Yanni Dean. We grew up together. We’re the best of friends!"

’I don’t think I’ve ever seen her at the Mage’s Guild...’ Zelir thought.

He had never seen her with Bev before, either.

"That’s because Yanni’s family moved to another town last year, so we don’t get to see each other much anymore."

Bev playfully pinched her friend’s cheek.

"But I really didn’t expect Yanni to be here for the Monster Hunting."

"It’s because I haven’t seen you in so long, Bev. I missed you, so I used my family’s connections to get a spot in this Monster Hunting."

Yanni affectionately rubbed her cheek against Bev’s shoulder before turning her gaze to Zelir.

Her eyes scanned him up and down.

"Hello, I’m Zelir," he said, giving Yanni a slight nod in a polite self-introduction.

"Mm... hi," Yanni responded coolly, immediately looking away to resume her conversation with Bev.

Zelir was a little taken aback.

’I can’t help but feel... that girl, Yanni, is being a little cold toward me.’

It wasn’t that he expected her to be overly friendly upon their first meeting, but Zelir could sense an inexplicable dislike from her...

’Is it just my imagination?’

"Zelir, good morning!"

Just then, Lante came running over, greeting Zelir enthusiastically.

"Good morning, Lante," Zelir replied.

But then, he felt that something wasn’t quite right.

"Wait a second, Lante... you’re part of this Monster Hunting too?"

’If I remember correctly, Lante isn’t even a Magic Apprentice, is he?’

"Yeah... I had to beg Instructor Marvin for a long time before he finally caved," Lante said with a pout.

"Oh..."

’That makes sense,’ Zelir thought.

Lante was the type to pay a squad just to take him on an adventure; there was no way he’d miss out on something like Monster Hunting.

"I thought since you just joined the Mage’s Guild, you wouldn’t be able to participate in the Monster Hunting either."

Lante said enthusiastically. "I didn’t expect you to be here too. This is great!"

"Are there eligibility requirements for Monster Hunting?" Zelir asked casually.

"I think so. While it’s not officially stated, my father told me the slots each year are very limited. It’s basically Instructor Marvin who personally picks the participants."

Lante continued, "Usually, you only get a chance after being in the guild for two or three years."

"I see..."

Zelir nodded slowly.

He was starting to understand. It was probably Instructor Marvin who wanted to nurture his talent, making an exception to let him join so soon.

’All the more reason not to disappoint him, then.’

"In any case, it’s great that you’re here!"

Lante said happily, "This means we get to fight side-by-side again!"

"Yeah, that’s great," Zelir agreed with a smile and a nod.

Besides Bev, Lante, and the newly introduced Yanni, Zelir’s gaze swept across the crowd and landed on a few other familiar faces.

Riley, who had failed the Junior Mage exam, was in the crowd.

The two Junior Mages he had seen dueling with Flame Breath Skill and Arcane Missile during his first visit to the Martial Arts Arena were also present.

When they saw that Zelir was participating in the Monster Hunting, their eyes were filled with undisguised surprise.

A bold, powerful female voice suddenly boomed through the morning mist like a clap of thunder.

"Looks like everyone’s here! Punctual, too. No one overslept. Good!"

Zelir looked toward the source of the voice.

The crowd automatically parted, making way for a red-haired woman who was striding toward them.

"It’s Instructor Lena..." someone whispered.

Lena wore a carefree, unrestrained smile. Her red hair, like a dancing flame, bounced behind her.

She was tall and slender, and her Magic Robe was not the traditional style.

It looked more like a sharply tailored trench coat in a striking red and black, its hem rustling with every step.

Instructor Marvin and Instructor Manlin followed behind her.

"Alright! I imagine you’ve all been waiting for a while!"

Instructor Lena clapped her hands sharply.

"I’ll make this quick. The Monster Hunting will officially begin the day after tomorrow. We’ve called you here today mainly to sort you into squads so you can get to know your teammates."

"For this hunt, we have four Junior Mages and eleven Magic Apprentices participating. There’s also one Apprentice Mage. Lante, you’ll have to do your best."

Lena’s gaze swept over him.

Lante’s face flushed red, and he lowered his head.

"These sixteen members will be divided into four squads. Each squad will be composed of one Junior Mage and three Magic Apprentices."

"During the Monster Hunting, we will split into two groups. Instructor Marvin will lead two of the squads, while Instructor Manlin and I will lead the other two."

"We will travel through the Gray Wood Forest and ultimately rendezvous at the designated camp on the eastern side of the Hengduan Mountain Range. That will be our final destination."

When Instructor Lena finished, she put her hands on her hips and surveyed the inexperienced Mages before her with an imposing air.

"Now for the squad assignments!"

"First Squad, led by Junior Mage Harrison, with members Fler, Nancy, and Meyer..."

"Second Squad, led by Junior Mage Philip, with member Sally..."

"Third Squad, led by Junior Mage Leiden, with members..."

Lena read through the names quickly, then paused deliberately before the last squad, her gaze sweeping over Zelir, Bev, and their group.

"Fourth Squad, led by Junior Mage Zelir. Members: Bev, Yanni, and Lante."

"Bev, we’re in the same squad! This is great!" Yanni whispered excitedly, happily squeezing Bev’s hand.