Sorcerer: I want to be an Academic Prodigy-Chapter 554 - 552: Guide Party?

Chapter 554: Chapter 552: Guide Party?

The Red-bearded Giant was known as the “Volcano Son” and belonged to the sub-giant race. An adult Red-bearded Giant stood about six to seven meters tall, whereas a pure giant typically reached twenty to thirty meters.

Although the sub-giants’ stature couldn’t compare to that of the giants, they were uniquely blessed, otherwise, they couldn’t have become the dominant race of the North.

As the overlord of the North, the Red-bearded Giant was naturally not to be provoked, and Ivan had no intention of provoking them. His purpose this time was merely to explore and incidentally build a small outpost that would serve as his underground research base.

As for establishing human settlements, as the King of Ten Thousand Woods had said, such matters must be approached slowly.

Either a sufficient opportunity was needed, or the sorcerer’s overall strength had to advance a level, or there had to be breakthroughs in certain technical aspects; otherwise, the task could only wait.

“This is the underworld, indeed it’s dim.”

“Don’t make a fuss over nothing.”

This time, Ivan was not alone; he had previously gathered these people into the hunting space of the Silver Moon Blade and only released them upon safely arriving in the North.

Caspar had also come, and he was the one who had just exclaimed.

There were also Locke, Angie, swamp ants, the Silkworm Queen, flame scorpio, and Tanaya, who insisted on coming along, though she did not bring Gerry and Mara this time.

“Ivan, why didn’t you also take the airship into the internal space of the Silver Moon Blade?”

“I didn’t want to.”

“And why is that?”

“The airship is large. To summon and dismiss it would needlessly deplete this sorcerer’s energy. Why should I engage in such an exhausting and thankless task?”

“You should have said that earlier, I could have had a smaller, lesser airship custom-made.”

Of everyone present, only Tanaya was so particular. Ivan, accustomed to roughing it, didn’t find traveling on the back of a swamp ant much different from riding in an airship.

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But if Tanaya wanted to fuss, Ivan wouldn’t refuse her.

In the days that followed, the group traveled from the north to the west, and then to the border between the West and the South. Finally, under Angie’s guidance, they entered a hidden path and delved into the thick rocky walls of this area.

The terrain of the underworld was more complex than the surface, with clearly demarked East, West, South, and North regions, and numerous secluded areas deep in the rock walls.

Now, the group was headed to one of these concealed places—the Centaur Basin.

“I think your kin will have quite the reaction when they see you,” Tanaya joked.

“If Elder Sol hasn’t sent word back to the tribe, they probably think I’ve died. After so many years, they might have already forgotten me,” Angie responded calmly.

“I hope you won’t regret this,” Tanaya said, glancing at Ivan.

“I definitely won’t. The Centaur Race needs a new strength like yours to break the current mold; otherwise, they will continue to decline until they’re completely gone,” Angie said earnestly.

As they spoke, the group continued along a narrow, winding path.

The narrow path twisted and turned, occasionally branching into side paths and hidden passages, truly keeping one on their toes.

The underworld’s rock layers also blocked spell tracking.

If it weren’t for the Centaur princess leading the way, it would be incredibly difficult for outsiders to find the correct path; even Ivan, who was no novice, marveled at it.

“No wonder no one can trace your tracks; this place is more of a dead-end than an actual dead-end.”

“It’s too peaceful; it’s made the people lose the knightly vigor they should possess. In another hundred years, they’ll probably be better called the farmer and gardener race,” Angie said without a hint of guilt about leading the way for the so-called ‘guide party’. In her view, the Centaurs were doomed anyway.

“We might as well let my man intervene, that way the Centaur Race will still have a future.”

“Don’t worry, I never bully the weak. I hold no malice towards your Centaur Race, and I certainly won’t do anything to provoke universal outrage, like Tanaya imagines.”

“I never thought that!” Tanaya, of course, was unwilling to admit to such thoughts.

“No, I’d prefer you’d handle it,” Angie shook her head.

“Let’s see how it goes,” Ivan wasn’t someone who liked to meddle.

Just like that, the group ventured deeper into the rock layer until they reached a place full of ruins, where the space finally opened up. However, it wasn’t a good place at all due to the foul air.

“This used to be the living place of the Centaur Race, but then an abnormality occurred among the ancestors in the graveyard, one after another transforming into Centaur Hunters. Our tribe had no choice but to abandon this place and retreat to a deeper basin.

Since then, this area has never been reclaimed and has evolved into a deadly place for our people when they venture out.”

Standing before the ruins, Angie involuntarily drew her longsword, staring fiercely at the spot.

During her last dispatched mission, many of her companions were buried here. The memory was still fresh, and hatred and anger continuously surged from within her.

“Go ahead, leave the cleaning to you guys.”

Ivan heard the noise and instructed those around him.

The group’s strength wasn’t low, facing the desiccated undead hunters with nothing but skin and bones, they naturally weren’t scared, all following Angie’s lead, charging ahead, even the fussy Tanaya.

“Ha-ha, kill!”

“Don’t snatch, don’t snatch, this one’s mine.”

Years had passed since the Centaur Race’s glorious era, and their strength rapidly declined, corresponding to that, the strength of the undead hunters had also waned.

By the end of the battle, Ivan didn’t even get a chance to make a move before the area was swept over by the others.

No wonder Angie said that the Centaurs would eventually become farmers or gardeners; from this situation, one could glimpse at that. There’s no reason for such a group of hunters to block their way.

“Thank you, thank you very much!”

For the others, the battle was hardly worth mentioning, but for Angie, the Grand Duchal Princess of the Centaurs, it held an extraordinary significance, like moving a mountain from above her head, albeit a not very tall or heavy one.

After this episode, the group continued deeper, eventually reaching a dead end.

Angie wandered near the wall for a while but couldn’t manage to open the path leading inside, which made her face increasingly embarrassed.

“Just make another path.”

On Ivan’s cue, the swamp ant approached the dead end; a dark glow flickered, and the rock and earth in front immediately began to move, forming a passage on their own.

The others followed the swamp ant.

After a distance that was neither short nor long, the group emerged in a utopian nook basked in sunlight, which was the secluded dwelling of the Centaurs.

What rendered several people speechless was that they had reached this place without the Centaurs noticing at all.

“Not even guarding the only passage, these folks are too reckless!”

This situation made Angie feel even more embarrassed and profoundly disappointed; she could no longer suppress the anger within her.

“There’s a special circumstance.” Ivan sensed more disturbances.

“What?”

“Someone’s getting married; seems like we’ve come at an awkward time.”

Although Ivan said this, he didn’t stop his steps. Seeing nobody coming to stop them, he led the group swaggeringly towards the small town in the basin.

The closer they got to the small town, the darker Angie’s face became.

It had to be said, the Centaurs of today lacked vigilance, which really was somewhat preposterous.

Angie wasn’t just angry; she also worried that such poor performance from her people might not catch Sorcerer Ivan’s eye, definitely missing out on an opportunity.

A bunch of fools!

“Who?”

After entering the small town, the group was finally noticed.