The Giant of Greed

Chapter 81 The Giant of Greed

"I await your performance in the Holy Tower Trial. Don't disappoint me." With just these words, Millie, though she didn't make a move, had already regarded Green as one of the top ten wizard apprentices among the six academies.

However, Green was slightly taken aback. Was he looking forward to my performance?

Perhaps your long-standing sense of isolation has led to excessive arrogance...

…………

Three months later.

"It's done!" Green, who was meditating in the tent, suddenly opened his eyes and murmured this in surprise. Then, he stretched out one finger of one hand, and as the magic power in his body flowed, a small water ball formed on his fingertip.

Both water and fire elements possess extremely high controllability and affinity, and both must be applied at least ten times leverage. This is the most basic condition for researching explosive fire magic. However, there's no rush to raise the basic water element magic circle's comprehension to ten times leverage, because researching the annihilation properties of water and fire elements requires starting with the boosting effect of two affinity elements.

In that case, it would be better for Green to start by studying the contributing properties of the elements of water and lightning. (Wind and fire, water and lightning, earth and water, earth and life, water and life...)

Regarding the lightning element, although their intimacy wasn't high, Colin was confident he could complete the basic elemental magic array inscription within two months, based on his research over the past few months. At that point, he could begin researching boosting elemental magic, a highly advanced field even for a wizard apprentice. Even with Colin's full effort, it would likely take at least several years.

……

"Green, aren't you going to the meeting later?" Raffi asked Green from the other side of the tent after finishing his study.

Over the past few months, all the wizard apprentices from the six academies have arrived at the Great Basin of Fallen Holy Marks. After slaughtering the wizard apprentices from District 19, they have directly occupied more than 160 resource points and are still attacking the remaining 30-odd resource points of the wizard apprentices from District 19.

Once the wizarding apprentices of District 12 have captured all 200 resource points, it will mean that the wizarding apprentices of District 19 have no foothold. From then on, they will begin a frantic pursuit, using the resource points as their rear, until the enemy's numbers are reduced to the ideal number desired by the wizarding academy of District 19.

Green shook his head and said calmly, "You know I don't like getting involved in these kinds of things. Don't you trust us to represent us?"

"Okay." Raffi nodded and left the tent.

Green didn't care about these things.

The Crimson Crow Mine now boasts over two hundred wizard apprentices, including four of the top ten wizards from the six academies (Millie, Yatz, Aldas, and later, an apprentice from the Bone Clock Tower Wizard Academy). As for magical restrictions, the later apprentices brought another set, along with over a dozen large-scale magical traps scattered throughout (similar to the exploding mushrooms), as well as trenches and a watchtower dug later on…

It can be said that the Chiwu mine is quite well-defended.

After a while, Raffi returned to the tent and said calmly, "Milly and Aldas left with several groups of wizard apprentices because the Chiwu Mine is no longer a frontline resource point; it's now considered the rear territory of District Twelve."

"Yes, indeed, things have been much quieter here in the last month," Green replied casually, flipping through his witchcraft notes.

Raffi's injuries had improved considerably over the past few months, with the area of ​​withered skin significantly reduced. At this moment, she idly twirled a green ring between one of her fingers, muttering, "Do you think they might, like we did on that ship, once the crew dwindles to a certain elite level, form something like a 'Bloodsail Alliance'?"

"That's inevitable. Although we don't know what the punishment will be if they fail over there, it will definitely make every wizard apprentice there fight with all their might to win this 'war.' Their biggest advantage is that there are no bigger internal conflicts or more guardians to be deployed." Green had been analyzing casually because he was too tired from studying witchcraft, but suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him.

After a pause, Green suddenly asked, "Has there been any news yet about our District 12 Wizarding Academy deploying guardians?"

"No, the Guardians have been deployed six times in District 19. They took down four overly assertive guys, and two escaped," Laffey said calmly.

Green's eyes suddenly lit up, and he said, "Perhaps... the opposing guardians are deploying more frequently, which seems like an advantage on the surface, but there's a hidden disadvantage, and a very important one at that!"

Raffi asked in surprise, "What disadvantage?"

"Have you forgotten? When we first established the Bloodsail Alliance on the ship, it was you 'Five Heavenly Kings' who took the lead. If it weren't for you five heavenly kings, which wizard apprentice on the ship would have such organizational ability? In other words, the key to establishing an organization is that you must have one or more core leaders!" Green said jokingly, deliberately drawing out the tone of the five heavenly kings.

"Tch, why bring up that time again? What Heavenly King? That was just a title given by those guys who don't even know witchcraft. We didn't try to glorify ourselves." Laffey grumbled unhappily, then added, "Hmph, who came up with such a tasteless title as 'Vine Heavenly King'? If I were to come up with a title myself, I'd definitely call it…"

"Stop, Your Majesty! Continue. Since District 19 needs a team leader, what would happen to the other side's alliance if our guardians launched a full-scale attack during the final battle and killed all or most of their leaders? Just like on the ship back then, if it weren't for you five Heavenly Kings..." Green's eyes gleamed.

Raffi's eyes also lit up with delight. "That analysis makes a lot of sense! Unlike District 19, our District 12 wizarding academy doesn't have any so-called leaders. Because of the frequent conflicts and frictions, we've long since developed a set of unspoken rules and conventions. You could say that every wizarding apprentice is their own leader!"

Green smiled. There was no reason why his mentor Peranos and his group of old guys couldn't think of what he could think of.

Hearing Green's analysis, Raffi felt much more relaxed and laughed, "We initially thought being assigned to the front lines right away was bad luck, but it turns out it's actually good luck. Now we can quietly stay behind the camp and guard resource points, and you can focus on your sorcery research. You seem to be keeping a tight schedule. Wait, let me think… considering the time, shouldn't you be researching those two broken branches?"

Green smiled and took out the two broken branches...

Two months later, Grimm finally inscribed the basic lightning element magic circle into his soul and began to study the property enhancement properties of water and lightning elements...

A year later, the District 12 Wizarding Academy had captured 180 resource points, meaning each wizarding apprentice could now achieve the basic goal of 30 resource points. However, due to the deterrent effect of the District 19 Guardians, the District 12 wizarding apprentices were unable to organize a large-scale attack, which seems to be a limitation of the wizarding apprenticeship model in District 12.

Without an absolute leader, it is difficult to carry out large-scale actions without sufficient incentives.

Small-scale skirmishes continued between District 12 and District 19, with District 19 generally holding the upper hand. However, as time passed, the wizarding apprentices of District 19 finally "awakened" and became "shrewd." An organization called "Twenty Drops of Blood" began to circulate among the wizarding apprentices of District 19, and in several small-scale wars, they managed to even out some of their disadvantages thanks to their strong organizational and teamwork abilities.

Five years later, Green's physique reached 108. However, because his physique had fully adapted to the deadly poison of the Evil Eye Miro and he lacked the foundation to research new poisons in the voodoo laboratory, he suspended his mixed poison body-refining witchcraft training. He spent a certain amount of time every day training his body to continuously improve his basic attributes of physique, strength, and vitality.

…………

Nine years later. (The dates here are based on the time of Green's conversation with Raphael.)

The long-forgotten Chiwu Mine is now only guarded by a dozen or so scattered wizard apprentices, including Raffi's team, who stayed behind to take care of Green and spend long periods of time studying witchcraft.

The wizard apprentices stationed here have become accustomed to the comfort of being in the rear. It seems that the so-called war is the business of the wizard apprentices on the front lines, while the people here only need to patrol and check the magical restrictions and traps every day. There was even a wizard apprentice couple who held a simple wedding at this resource point!

All the wizard apprentices from the Chiwu Mine resource point attended the wedding that day, and Green even gave them an extra bottle of Meditation and Hearing Potion as a blessing.

Yes, this Chiwu mine has not seen any wizard apprentices from District 19 for three whole years; it has become a standard rear base.

On this day, in an open space in the Chiwu Mine, Green was both nervous and excited as he silently recited a witchcraft incantation. This was to outline his still unfamiliar biological framework using the method of language resonance, and then, in conjunction with the miraculous "catalyst" and the intertwining effect of his fire element, form an elemental activation witchcraft, which also involved some knowledge of soul science.

After a mysterious and difficult incantation, as the magical power in Grimm's body fluctuated, a creature composed entirely of black flames gradually appeared before Grimm from nothing!

This creature made of black flames resembled a newborn baby, looking around with some confusion as it surveyed this novel world. A sense of connection with Green's mind linked their perceptions.

This was a black flame giant (beast) about three meters tall. Though called a giant, it was merely an irregular humanoid shape, its back hunched. Thin strands of "external armor," interwoven with water and lightning attributes, outlined its basic form, constantly shifting with the black flames burning within its body. A pair of eyes, resembling those of a snail, burned with even purer black flames, brutally and coldly surveying its surroundings. Simultaneously, two gigantic mouths opened and closed on its chest and back, one emitting a mournful howl, the other a roar of excitement…

Grimm assessed the fire giant's abilities through a subtle connection in his soul.

"Basic physical attack power is around 100-220 degrees, and basic elemental attack power is around 170 degrees! Two mouths on the chest and back... Hmm? Is this the power to devour souls and hatred?" Grimm could understand devouring souls in his mind; after all, the otherworldly creature that obtained the catalyst and called itself the Dark Annihilation Flame God seemed to possess such an ability. However, the emotional ability to devour hatred was something Grimm had never encountered outside of texts describing black wizards.

However, just looking at the basic attributes of this newly activated elemental creature at this moment, it is enough to make it a strong person of the second level among the top ten experts of the six academies!

If we could discover the ability to devour souls and consume hatred...

Following the same magical technique that Yaz had used to summon elemental-activated creatures, Greene conjured a two-meter-long azure water sword, constantly crackling with lightning, in the black fire giant's hand after a burst of magical energy.

Grimm looked at the elementally activated black fire giant, which he had been researching for eleven years, with delight, and murmured, "From now on, you will be called the Greedy Flame Giant. In a few days, we'll test what your specific abilities are in devouring souls and abominations."

Roar!

Elemental-activated creatures possess their own most primitive and simple will; this is the awakening power of the elemental creatures' souls. The Gluttonous Giant roars silently in Grimm's spiritual world.

After dispelling the Fiery Beast, Green pondered, "Now that the boosting properties of water and lightning elements have been basically researched, and the elemental activation spell has finally come to an end, it's time to increase the nine-fold leverage of the water element to tenfold. After that, the ultimate goal is the Explosive Flame Spell."

"By the way, those two broken tree branches with rare lightning runes should also be imprinted in my soul within the next two years. I'll observe the nature of these rare runes before deciding on the development of the lightning element." With that thought, Green composed himself and, as usual, spent an hourglass's time patrolling the resource points before returning to his tent.

The daily patrol of an hourglass is Green's basic training for his physique, and his persistence has yielded excellent results.

(End of this chapter)