Chapter 410: Dust Settles and Celebration

The defensive line at the Labyrinth's refuge point, propped up by teaching assistants and magic apprentices, had become as thin as a cicada's wing.

Even though the legend of the "Bare-Butt Hero" had boosted the morale of countless apprentices, it could not change the vast disparity in strength between the two sides.

There were simply too many of them!

The Wailers crawling out from the walls seemed endless, continuously draining the little mana the patrolling teaching assistants had left.

When it came down to it, they were not exactly powerhouses; they were merely the scraps of the High Tower, otherwise, they wouldn't have been assigned to the bitter chore of patrolling.

Yet, it was precisely these ordinary people who, when faced with the stupidity born of the arrogance of the one wearing the crown, erupted with unprecedented courage and responsibility.

Even Kuer Si, who lived by the creed of playing clever tricks and took pride in it, did not take a single step back at this critical juncture.

They had nowhere left to retreat!

A teaching assistant's mana shield shattered under the sharp claws of a Wailer.

He was sent flying by the impact, slamming heavily into the stone wall, and fell unconscious. The apprentices, their mana exhausted, screamed and scattered, fear spreading through the crowded throng.

At this moment, several skeleton soldiers suddenly charged up, using their skeletal bodies to plug the gap in the defensive line!

One of them, in order to cover Kuer Si behind it, took a claw strike capable of tearing through steel head-on with its own ribcage, instantly scattering into a pile of broken bones.

The defensive line was breached in an instant!

Seeing the defensive formation about to collapse, almost everyone's face wore an expression of despair.

However, the anticipated slaughter did not come.

Those Wailers that had charged over with hisses suddenly froze in mid-air the moment they stepped into the refuge point.

Those twisted bodies, like ignited scrolls, silently turned into black ash from the edges, finally blown away by an invisible wind.

Following that, it was the second, the third... In the blink of an eye, all the servants of Chaos vanished into thin air within this blood-colored Labyrinth.

Along with that eerie red mist!

The apprentices were stunned, the daze of surviving a disaster written on everyone's face, not understanding what had happened.

Yet, this deathly silence lasted only for an instant.

Almost the moment the red mist dissipated, the entire Labyrinth let out a painful groan it could no longer bear, followed by a tremor that shook the mountains and earth!

Above the dome, huge stones peeled off like beads from a broken string, and the threat of death descended with a roar in another form!

"Form up! Everyone, raise your barriers!" An older teaching assistant reacted first, roaring with a hoarse voice, injecting his remaining mana into his staff.

The apprentices, having survived the disaster, responded immediately. Enduring the sharp pain of mental exhaustion, they converged their weak magic into one. A hemispherical golden light curtain spread out above everyone's heads, barely blocking the falling debris.

"Boom—!"

Giant stones smashed onto the barrier like raindrops, each impact causing the light curtain to shake violently, spiderweb-like cracks spreading rapidly.

The apprentices' faces were pale; some were already unable to hold on, teetering under the tidal wave of bombardment.

Just as the barrier was about to shatter, a completely different loud noise came from directly above!

"Crack—"

That was not the sound of the dome collapsing, but the sound of rock being pushed aside!

Mana as vast as the sea was like an invisible giant hand, grabbing those falling stones one by one and throwing them into a deserted corner!

Those who had buried their heads in fear all subconsciously looked up at this moment.

They saw a blinding beam of light piercing through the thick rock layer and darkness, and a dust-covered hole appeared above their heads like a miracle.

Master Moke's face, usually so stern, was now covered in dust and tears.

Looking at those disheveled but ultimately still-living young faces below, his voice choked with emotion.

"Sorry, children..."

"I'm late!"

The ecstasy of being saved instantly turned into tears that burst through the dam, spreading through the crowd.

The teaching assistant holding the staff slumped to the ground in relief, the apprentices who had escaped death embraced each other, and the pious believers knelt on the ground to pray.

People celebrated the hard-won victory in their own way, praising the clear sky after the rainstorm.

They had defeated Chaos!

Of course, more importantly—

They were saved!

Kuer Si looked up at the hole, lost in thought for a moment.

Tightening the blanket on his shoulders, he subconsciously came back to his senses, trying to find something in the chaos.

At this moment, his gaze crossed face after face of those weeping with joy, finally landing on the corner where he had once fought.

A skeleton soldier that had fought alongside him was still standing there.

Perhaps knowing that the beam of light did not belong to it, it did not look up at the hole casting the light of hope, but turned its gaze toward Kuer Si.

Seeing Kuer Si also looking at it, it raised its bony hand, tapped gently on its own hollow chest, and its grinning jaw seemed to say—

"What a hearty battle."

Leaving behind this silent farewell, the faint green soul fire in its skull quietly extinguished like a candle in the wind.

The frame, not particularly tall, scattered along with it, turning into a pile of ordinary white bones, no different from the surrounding rubble.

Kuer Si's lips moved, and he tapped his fist against his chest.

"Farewell..."

Just as everyone was immersed in the joy of surviving the disaster, two massive amounts of mana suddenly appeared above everyone's heads.

A figure, accompanied by a soft green light like the birth of spring, landed quietly in the center of the ruins.

He had silver hair like moonlight, emerald green eyes full of concern for life, and those pointed ears revealed his identity as an elf.

Feili'an Huanghun, Sage of Life.

His arrival replaced the scorched smell of smoke in the air with a fresh scent of grass, as if they had arrived at a pure land in the center of the Sea of Vortexes.

On the other side, a precise teleportation array flashed and vanished beside Moke, and the figure of Sage of Law Bofeili Saiyi stepped out from it.

The black uniform on him, ironed without a single wrinkle, formed a sharp contrast with the surrounding mess. Pushing up the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose, he swept his cold gaze across the scene, his face showing undisguised disgust.

"Moke!"

Bofeili's voice was like a cold ruler, striking Moke's body, but also landing in everyone's heart.

"This rotten aura of Chaos... I need an explanation! Has the dignity of the Academy been tarnished because of your ridiculous negligence?!"

Although he was the last to arrive, his temper was the biggest.

Moke trembled all over; under the mountain-like pressure of the Sage, he didn't even dare to look up at those cold eyes.

Introducing the undead had been done through strict reporting and approval; although it was done a bit hastily, there were no major errors in the procedure.

But now that the corrosion of Chaos had appeared in the Labyrinth, this black pot, heavy enough to crush his entire academic career, was something he couldn't shake off no matter what!

"I... I don't know, Sage Bofeili," he lowered his head in shame, his voice hoarse, "It... it is my dereliction of duty, but I..."

"I don't want to hear your excuses!" Bofeili interrupted him coldly, "When the Great Sage returns from the Brass Pass, I will report your dereliction of duty to him personally!"

Moke's body trembled again.

Saint Xisi above...

As a master, what virtue or ability do I have to make the Great Sage remember my name?!

Just then, Feili'an's gentle voice intervened.

"Bofeili, calm down first. You and I both know that the apostles of Chaos won't stand openly before us... He will only watch our jokes from the shadows. Your anger is exactly what he wants."

Bofeili's face stiffened, but he didn't say much, just speechless, took out a comb and combed the wig he had messed up due to anger.

Feili'an didn't say anything more to him, just walked to a collapsed wall and stretched out his slender fingers.

Several emerald green vines grew from his fingertips, swimming forward like docile green snakes, then curled up a small pinch of dark red crystal powder from the stone cracks and sent it before him.

Feili'an frowned slightly, sniffing with the tip of his nose, a hint of confusion flashing in those deep eyes.

"... This aura, so familiar."

He whispered to himself, as if searching for something from those long memories.

Just as Bofeili was about to mock whether Feili'an's "dog nose" had smelled any clues, a burst of footsteps came from the corridor not far away.

Immediately after, in the astonished eyes of everyone, a slender figure walked slowly out of the messy ruins.

The person who came was Prince Kelin. The neat and elegant magic robe on him didn't even have a speck of dust on it.

The female guard wearing a cloak held the unconscious Lasi Tina under her arm, following silently behind this prince.

As for Lasi Tina's two followers, they were carried on the backs of Hade and Bei'en.

That appearance was truly beaten miserably; even after receiving magic treatment, the swelling and bruises on their faces were still faintly visible.

However, this was not the point.

"I think, in Mr. Bofeili's report, perhaps this should be added."

Luo Yan's voice was calm and clear. With a casual wave of his hand, a corpse, charred black like charcoal, was thrown onto the open space before the two Sages.

The corpse curled up, retaining the posture of extreme pain before death.

That deep blue mage robe, which could no longer be identified, and that face twisted by fear and fire, made Moke and Bofeili's pupils shrink.

"Alisite?!" Moke exclaimed, his knees softening, and he knelt on the ground.

The surrounding apprentices whispered, exchanging astonished expressions on each other's faces, seemingly unable to accept that the always approachable Professor Alisite would reappear before them in such an inglorious posture.

What on earth happened?!

Was it... something wrong?!

Luo Yan's mouth hooked into a faint arc, his gaze sweeping calmly across the two Sages.

"The 'mastermind' behind this accident, I have found for you."

Bofeili's lips twitched, staring at the charred corpse, he extended his right hand and released the "Eye of Truth".

Mana patterns emerged on the charred corpse, and floating light particles seemed to be reproducing the battle that had happened before.

"It can't be wrong... I see traces of Chaos and Source Power combined in his body! But... how could this be! Alisite? Why?" Bofeili muttered to himself, finally shouting almost out of emotional control.

He looked up in astonishment at Kelin, then at Feili'an, as if wanting to get an answer from this long-lived colleague.

He couldn't understand why Alisite would do this; he had always had a pretty good impression of that gentle and polite middle-aged man!

And Alisite was the Great Sage's most proud student; almost everyone regarded him as the next Sage of the Source Law School!

Perhaps even the next Great Sage!

The surrounding apprentices and teaching assistants were also discussing, especially the former who didn't know much about Alisite, simply unable to accept such a fact.

Feili'an frowned slightly, looked at Alisite's corpse, then at Kelin, his gaze becoming sharp.

Luo Yan's mouth curled slightly, not retreating a bit because the other party possessed strength suspected to be Amethyst Tier.

"Are you interrogating the Prince of the Empire?"

Just kidding.

He didn't put Amethyst Tier powerhouses in his eyes even when he was an Unyielding Silver, and now that he was at the same level as Professor Lilisi, he would only be crazier.

Feili'an was slightly stunned, the sharpness in his gaze converged a little, but that suspicion did not decrease.

"No, I'm just curious... After all, Alisite is dead, there are many things I can't ask him, I can only ask you."

Seeing Sage Feili'an's attitude soften, Luo Yan also restrained his sharp momentum, returning to his usual gentle and easygoing self.

"The matter is actually very simple. Dear Professor Alisite felt I was an eyesore and wanted me to get lost, so he cleverly used the opportunity of the Labyrinth Trial to set a trap, aiming at Miss Kastelion behind me. An unnamed apprentice wrote a letter to secretly tell me about this, so out of worry, I followed into the Labyrinth."

"Of course, I originally intended to solve this matter secretly, and even hoped that everything was just a malicious speculation by some apprentice. But what I didn't expect was that someone was so vicious and shameless, not only personally directing this farce, but also personally entering the field when seeing the plan was about to fail... So I didn't continue to hide."

Feili'an nodded, seemingly accepting this explanation, but still lowered his voice. "I have a question, aren't you worried that the letter itself is a trap?"

"So what if it is?" Luo Yan shrugged slightly, saying in a matter-of-fact voice, "I am her master, this is my responsibility."

This sentence seemed to hit the softness in Feili'an's heart, and also touched the vast majority of magic apprentices and teaching assistants present.

Including Moke, who was kneeling on the ground with empty eyes, and Sage Bofeili, who was standing silently in place.

Responsibility.

This word is really too heavy.

Feili'an was silent for a while, his tensed shoulders relaxed slightly, looking at Prince Kelin standing before him, he suddenly placed his palm on his chest and nodded slightly.

"You are an admirable master, I apologize for my suspicion."

"I dare not accept."

Luo Yan smiled faintly, his gaze falling on the corpse on the ground, his tone complex.

"Speaking of which, I always thought his dislike for me was because of different academic views, but now it seems I was too naive... His hatred for me and Miss Kastelion was entirely out of arrogant instinct, because she is the daughter of an Imperial Duke, and I am a Prince from the Empire."

"Perhaps."

Feili'an replied noncommittally, looked down at Alisite lying on the ground, and looked at Kelin again.

"I will report this matter truthfully to the Great Sage... and if you don't mind, we may have to ask you not to contact these students for the next few days."

"Why?!" Bei'en's voice carried anger, almost blurted out, but was pulled by Hade beside him.

"Keep your voice down! This is for everyone's good..." Hade lowered his voice to reprimand him, then secretly glanced at Miss Aofeiya.

That Duke's daughter was very sensible, not at all displeased because of that groundless suspicion.

As for Ilana.

She seemed very bad at such occasions.

I don't know if it was his illusion, he always felt that this seemingly calm junior sister seemed a bit... socially anxious?

"I have no opinion, I happen to have some research work that needs to be finished, I might stay in Kelin Tower during this time." Luo Yan nodded happily, then looked at Miss Kastelion, "How about you?"

"This is best, I don't want to be inexplicably burdened with strange suspicions, but I hope it won't be too long,"

Gently shaking her dust-stained blonde hair, Aofeiya raised her chin to look at that elf, her gaze aggressive.

"However, I will write to my father and tell him truthfully about the unpleasantness that happened here!"

Up to now, only two Sages have arrived.

Are the other Sages dead?

She didn't have to demand those Sages to rush over like they were attending a funeral, but she couldn't feel their urgency at all.

Of course, she didn't get angry after all.

For one, the two Sages who dared to appear here still had some responsibility, and for another, she was just a Duke's daughter, not the Duke himself.

She only had the position to complain, not the position to lose her temper.

"I assure you, it won't be long, at most one week..." Feili'an nodded gentlemanly as always, explaining gently, "Your activities with the Prince and others are not restricted in any way, just to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, we need you to avoid contacting other subjects under investigation during the investigation period. Please believe me, my suggestion is entirely out of goodwill, not a mandatory order."

Pausing, he continued.

"In addition, you can of course write to your father, and we will also submit a written report to the Empire. The invasion of Chaos is not a small matter after all, especially happening at such an important celebration. Fortunately... we had the respected Prince to save the day in time, so it didn't lead to a disaster."

This sentence made Aofeiya very satisfied.

However, she didn't answer immediately, but subconsciously looked at Prince Kelin beside her, asking for his opinion with her eyes.

Luo Yan smiled and nodded, Aofeiya then looked at Feili'an with peace of mind, nodding her head in a generous manner.

"I approve!"

Feili'an smiled slightly and nodded again.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Kastelion."

Luo Yan suddenly felt that a certain line was a bit familiar.

Had he said something similar?

But looking at Aofeiya, who was triumphantly puffing out her chest, he smiled and threw this small matter behind his head.

Forget it.

It's not an important matter anyway.

At the same time, the Resurrection Square of the Necropolis was currently a scene of "demons dancing wildly".

The players who had finished the "All Souls' Day Labyrinth Trial" returned to their familiar home, spitting and boasting about their "heroic deeds" to those unlucky ones who hadn't managed to grab a spot in the event.

It was fortunate that the rescued apprentices didn't see this scene.

Otherwise, a young man who was immersed in a tragic atmosphere the second before might not know if he would faint on the spot from anger.

"You didn't see it!" Player 【Go to the Pier for Some Seagulls】 stepped on a wooden box, waving a rib he had accidentally dismantled from 【Gotham Good Citizen】 in his excitement, "I used a piece of rotten wood to trade for a gold coin from a bare-assed idiot! He really thought I was a 'hidden merchant' sent by Master Moke! Hahahaha!"

"6666!"

"Damn! Then you made a fortune!"

The surrounding players burst into laughter, throwing admiring looks of "you're really a dog" at him.

However, not long after, 【Gulp Down a Chemical Pool】 was the first to come to his senses.

"Wait, the bare-assed guy? Then you could have just robbed him! Why did you have to trade money for goods?"

【Gotham Good Citizen】 was stunned for a long time, then sighed and gave a thumbs up.

"Hey, you're the real dog!"

On the other side, 【Meichuan Qiuku】 was surrounded by a group of players. He cleared his non-existent throat and said in a tone like a heroic sacrifice: "That's nothing! I was a hero for a minute! I used my fragile skeleton to open a path for the future of humanity! You didn't see the admiring and adoring looks those little junior sisters gave me! It's a pity I'm a skeleton soldier, if I were a goblin, it would be great!"

"Forget it, you," his teammate 【Wangchuan Neiku】 ruthlessly dismantled him, "Don't think I don't know, you just wanted to lie down and see what they were wearing under their mage robes."

【Meichuan Qiuku】 was so angry his neck twisted.

"You're talking nonsense!!!"

"... %￥#@!"

The square was full of happy air. Tactical Master 【Yiye Zhiqiu】 was reviewing the final battle with 【Minotaur Warrior】, while 【Pig-Headed Knight】 was complaining incessantly on the side about why he only met male apprentices.

He had finally managed to get so many acid slimes into the pit trap, but it was a complete waste!

Just when the players were having fun, a pop-up window that all participants were extremely familiar with and extremely looking forward to popped up in their sea of consciousness at the same time.

【System Prompt: 'All Souls' Day Labyrinth Trial' event settlement!】

【Main Quest: Stop magic apprentices from entering the lower Labyrinth! (Failed)】

【Hidden Quest: Cooperate with Academy magic apprentices to fight against Chaos! (Perfectly Achieved!)】

【Comprehensive Evaluation: S+ (Your performance exceeded the Demon King's expectations.)】

"Failed?!"

"Damn! What does that mean! Why did we lose?!"

"Wait! The hidden quest was perfectly achieved! S+ evaluation! Damn!"

The players were stunned for a moment, then burst into even more enthusiastic cheers than before, the frustration of failure instantly replaced by the huge joy of the S+ evaluation.

Although the main quest was not completed, completing the hidden quest was obviously a good thing!

Next was the exciting reward settlement interface.

【According to each player's contribution, the following event rewards are now issued:】

【Title: "Moke's Officially Certified Profiteer" (After equipping, the success rate of deception skills is slightly increased) — Limited to players "Go to the Pier for Some Seagulls", "Gotham Good Citizen", "Knowledge Explodes".】

【Title: "Chaos Terminator" (After equipping, morale against Chaos creatures is slightly increased) — Limited to players "Yiye Zhiqiu", "Watching Hu Wan", "Minotaur Warrior", "Pig-Headed Knight".】

【Title: "Apprentice's Shield"...】

【Special Reward Issuance: 'Ilana's Thank You Letter' x1, 'Aofeiya's Token of Friendship' x1, "Labyrinth Trial Medal" x1...】

Looking at those varied titles and rewards, the whole square boiled again... even though most of the rewards were actually useless.

Morale?

Does this crappy game have this setting?

Success rate?

What kind of thing is that.

But it's a game, participation is what matters!

And besides these insignificant empty names, the Nether Coins, contribution points, and limited equipment gifted by the official were still very generous.

Including the prizes they picked up themselves.

Being able to experience the new map in advance and bring back a bunch of benefits, most players were quite satisfied.

"My god, even NPC thank you letters! This game is too realistic!"

"The dog planner finally acted like a human this time! I love these rewards!"

"Wait, what about the little junior sister's love letter?! None? This is unreasonable!!"

"At least give me a magic scroll for a flame thermobaric bomb..."

Amidst the noise, 【Yiye Zhiqiu】 looked at "Aofeiya's Token of Friendship" in the reward column, a faint smile rising in his heart.

"It seems that after we left, a lot of things happened in the Labyrinth..."

Although it was only a brief cooperation, he could feel that the four young apprentices were all good people, even if they belonged to different factions.

If only there was a chance to meet again.

Hopefully, after they left, the stories of those young people would continue as always, rather than turning into cold data archives.

Thinking about it, he suddenly realized he had thought a bit far.

"Forget it!" Minotaur Warrior waved his hand and roared heartily, "Brothers, let's feast! Celebrate that we saved the world again!"

Pig-Headed Knight: "Aoooo! I'm treating tonight, 'Grave Bottom Hot Pot' let's go!"

Watching Hu Wan: "Damn, that's too far, right? Going to Hell just to eat that stuff?!"

Yiye Zhiqiu: "+1, not to mention we are both skeletons."

Pig-Headed Knight laughed: "Then change to another place and you treat!"

Watching Hu Wan: ".............."

Yiye Zhiqiu: "Let's just go to Grave Bottom, I'm eating this meal for sure."

Minotaur Warrior: "+1"

Pig-Headed Knight: "Damn! You guys are serious?!" ===== CHAPTER 411 =====