Chapter 2313: Burning Moon Bay

Chapter 2313: Chapter 2313: Burning Moon Bay

To be honest, for everyone in the group, although their Ring Mage level already surpassed their academic year, the summer exam week was just regular exams for the four others besides Shard. No one was granted an upgrade or skip level permissions, so the number of exam subjects did not differ from previous years.

Luviya was the first to finish the examination paper before noon, submitted her parchment, and picked up Mia who had been sunbathing all morning in the cat bed on the windowsill, before leaving the room.

Shard guessed she went to get food for the cat, because half an hour later, the orange and white cat leisurely walked back in through the gap in the door.

The cat made a circle around Shard’s chair and, seeing Shard was earnestly writing, first jumped onto Dorothy’s table near the window, then made a strong leap back to the window sill, lying down comfortably to sunbathe and watch Shard.

Apart from Dorothy who was startled by the cat while focusing on answering questions, the others, including the professors, did not have any other reactions.

Priest Augustus was in the lowest year, making his subjects relatively simpler, thus he was the second to finish. Following closely were Dorothy and then Dr. Schneider. The three seemed to have agreed, consecutively submitting their papers between half-past one and two in the afternoon, leaving Shard as the only one still writing diligently.

Even for an Outlander, it was impossible to perfectly answer every question, as Miss Galina said yesterday, if the Saint Byrons exams could be passed merely by having a great memory, the Academy would have declined long ago.

Therefore, Shard had to worry about the Moon Bay situation, handle the tricky questions on the parchment, and ensure his handwriting didn’t look ugly, since these parchments were to be permanently kept in the Library.

Luckily, "she" was there to help and reassure Shard, allowing him to gradually calm down.

Even though he intended to go faster, when he finished writing the last letter and added the period, the setting sun was already casting its glow outside the window.

Mia’s fur became even more radiant and dazzling under the orange light. Shard could only think of such an adjective and admired how the cat could actually rest on the window sill for an entire afternoon without much movement.

He handed in his test paper and answer parchment, and then the professors also left together. They would reappear in an hour to announce everyone’s results for the summer exam week.

"Finally it’s over!"

Shard sat wearily in the chair looking at his ceiling, took a long breath before standing up, and walked towards the door with the cat in his arms.

Meanwhile, dinner was already set in the dining room next door to room number one, the four group members were waiting for Shard to join them for dinner.

It was apparent that everyone was fairly satisfied with the exam, unlike last year when Dorothy knew she failed as soon as she finished. Of course, Dr. Schneider still, as usual, asked Luviya to do a divination for everyone.

And the result from the purple-eyed girl’s divination was still accurate; when everyone was seated again in the room next door an hour later, the professors appeared and announced that everyone had passed the exams with smiles on their faces.

"Shard S. Hamilton, you passed all 28 exams. Please check your report card for specific scores. Congratulations on reaching the sixth year. We have sent a letter to the traveling Professor Danester and Miss Danester asked us to congratulate you on her behalf."

Thus, exactly a year later, the Outlander, who initially had no credential in this world, through his own efforts and struggles, reached the sixth year. For a Correspondence Circle Mage, this level is sufficient to follow the group to Saint Byrons, and if uninterested in continuing his studies, he could choose to graduate, becoming a contact in the civilized world for Saint Byrons.

But for Shard, reaching the sixth year was only the midpoint. He looked up at the Twelve Divine Ascension Path, but also did not forget that as a mortal, he needed to take one step at a time.

The future journey is indeed still very long.

The professors left, and everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. After mutually congratulating and raising glasses in a celebration with Shard’s provided wine, Dr. Schneider routinely invited Priest Augustus out for a drink, and the priest officially bid farewell to the four at Shard’s house:

"After tomorrow’s Holy Prayer Day event, I will be traveling. Don’t ask when I am leaving, I will depart with my luggage, look forward to our reunion, and I will bring you gifts when I return."

"Priest, maybe we will meet soon at Moon Bay,"

Shard said with a smile, and the Old Cleric wiping his pipe responded with a laugh:

"Moon Bay shouldn’t be such a small place, but if we do meet, it means it’s time for us to help each other again."

After the priest and doctor said their goodbyes, Dorothy and Luviya, knowing Shard still had to go to Moon Bay, escorted him to the basement together.

Of course, Mia couldn’t be taken, since both swords were in the hands of the witches, so Shard didn’t even need to carry large luggage.

After touching the Ancient God statue in the basement, he came to the Moon Bay Outskirts Dragon Nest, happily emerging from the cave, standing in the small forest outside the city, gazing at Moon Bay District. Then he noticed that although it was clearly nighttime, the sky over the city was so bright, and it was bright orange-red.

"Is there a bonfire party in the city today? Haven’t heard about any recent festivals, is this Dawn Chapel warming up for tomorrow’s Holy Prayer Day event... Hmm?"

Shard looked puzzled at the night sky blushing from the firelight:

"Is there a massive fire in the city?"

He took the key hanging from his neck in his right hand, and when the pitch-black long staff appeared in his hand, Shard gently tapped the ground with it, transforming into red butterflies and flying towards Moon Bay District like a stream of light.

With the increase in level and proficiency, he was becoming more and more adept at this Transformation Spell.

Saint George Stone Bridge was completely deserted, not even the streetlights on the side near the city were lit. The gate under the city wall was blocked by sandbags and burning carriages and could not be passed, but through the cracks between these obstructions, Shard could see that the street inside the city gate was indeed burning, and it was clear that more than this street was on fire:

"I’ve only been gone for a day. What happened here? Weren’t the Witches seeking vengeance against the Light Worshipper Training Association in the east of the city? This is the north of the city."

Everywhere on the streets were citizens fighting fires, but as a sharp scream and cries came from afar, they all fled towards the districts not yet aflame because someone surrounded by blood descended from the sky.

The sound of gunfire came from somewhere but could not stop the figure that seemed like a Beast. And so the Red Butterfly Swarm crossed the gap in the gate amidst the crackling sound of burning and collided directly with that lower Vampire Beast.

The Red Butterfly Swarm burst forth, and Shard’s boots soon stepped onto the corpse of the monster.

Beside him, the blazing fire of the burning buildings reflected off Shard’s face as he returned to human form. He raised his head, surprised to see the massive swarm of bats flying across the sky above the city:

"Vampire Kind, are they declaring war on the Church?"

Earlier this afternoon, the Witch Council was against the Light Worshipper Training Association in vengeance. Shard didn’t understand why it had turned into a scene of Vampire Beasts attacking the city.

A dazzling ray of golden light swept across the sky from the center of the city at this moment, clearing out most of the large bloodsucking bats, but the remaining ones flew towards the source of that light. Countless bloodsucking bats were continuously flying in from the direction of the forest, and the ashes produced by the burning in the north of the city flew into the night sky, scattered across the city carried by the bat swarm.

A distant sound seemed to be a Dragon Roar, but that was probably from the South City Dock, too far for even Shard to hear clearly. Looking up at the nearby night sky, several figures were battling above the burning city, the explosions producing glimmers and fireballs, adding even more absurdity to the night.

With a crashing sound, the beam of the house beside Shard collapsed in the fire. He slightly squinted his eyes to listen to the sound of his heartbeat, then turned and rushed into the fire scene.

Not long after, Shard emerged covered in ash from the fire scene, carrying two crying children, and a woman crying among the crowd that stayed away rushed out to take the baby from Shard’s hands.

"When did the fire start?"

He asked the crying and terrified woman in Casenric Language, who sobbed and replied:

"About fifteen minutes ago; five streets in the north of the city caught fire, and then those murderous and bloodsucking monsters appeared... It’s the prophecy! The prophecy of Moon Bay’s destruction!"

Speaking in this way, it wasn’t the entire city that was ablaze, nor had this tragic scene persisted for very long.

Shard watched as the woman carrying the child was pulled away by her husband. He looked at the people kneeling and crying in front of the burning houses, and those citizens attempting to extinguish the flames with water and rescuing their property.

A whisper reached his ears:

"Outlander, you have felt the Whisper. Within the nearby area, you will continuously be affected by the following effects:"

"Human race Circle Sorcerer spirit and stamina recovery speed decreased, but due to the weak effect, this doesn’t affect you."

"Wide-range interference of celestial arcane techniques, sorcery, and rituals on phenomena such as rain or snow is weakened."

"It is easier to be influenced by psychic attacks, but due to a strong soul, this effect doesn’t affect you."

"Once injured, wounds are harder to heal, but due to a robust physique, this effect doesn’t affect you."

"Psychic perception ability is severely affected, but due to stable spirit, this effect doesn’t affect you."

"Is the Maze Lock restricted?"

"Unrestricted."

He took out that bottle of glowing pink essence with his right hand; the luminous hue mostly resulted from the recent "abstinence."

After gently taking a small sip, as the smooth essence entered, Shard’s left hand holding Yggdrasil’s Staff gently tapped the ground. Hence, the night sky shrouded by black fog and dense smoke from the burning seemed to become somewhat clearer.

A very few people noticed the starry sky missing for a moment, but most noticed the heavy snowflakes falling silently from the sky. Falling upon the wounded citizens, the burning flames, the battling humans and monsters, and the countless quiet buildings standing amidst this chaotic night.

The Outlander, carrying the long staff, headed into this long darkness, unaware of how much effect this would have, but knowing that he ultimately had to do something.