Chapter 33 : Chapter 33
Chapter 33 : Ambush Warning
Ryan listened while allowing the Luminous Fluff Spirit at his fingertip to rub against him.
For now, the thing was not particularly useful beyond providing light and looking adorable.
However, the principle behind contracts was somewhat similar to what he understood about system binding—it required a certain level of “compatibility.”
He glanced around.
Quite a few students, like him, had successfully attracted Luminous Fluff Spirits. Their faces showed curiosity and excitement.
But there were also some whose hands remained empty, their expressions somewhat disappointed.
The study of the Summoning School relied heavily on talent, but it depended even more on affinity and genuine interest. It was not something that could be mastered simply by grinding through books with sheer effort.
For that reason, there were very few students at Saint Roland Magic Academy who truly specialized in the Summoning School. Most only studied it superficially as a supplementary skill.
The academy had arranged this practice experience largely to search among the many “non-summoning” students for those who possessed hidden talent without realizing it—and perhaps also to attract more students to this rather unpopular discipline.
“Alright, that concludes the theoretical portion.”
The female mentor clapped her hands, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Empty discussion on paper is never enough. What comes next will truly test whether you have affinity with this path.”
She turned and pointed her wide sleeve toward a stone gate behind the courtyard, entwined with ancient vines.
“Beyond this gate lies the academy’s cultivated Whispering Forest. Many low-tier magical creatures and natural spirits with relatively gentle temperaments live there. You will enter in groups and attempt to communicate and resonate with them.”
Her voice became solemn.
“Remember—contracts are a two-way choice. A forced bond is like a tower built from sand; it collapses in an instant. Feel with your heart. Ask with sincerity. Even the slightest response of goodwill, even the smallest step of approach, means you possess the potential to be acknowledged.”
Soon, the group assignments were announced.
To control the number of people entering the forest, all students were divided into groups of about ten and would enter in sequence.
Ryan was placed in the fifth group.
He noticed that Andre Garcia and his companions were in the third group, gathered together and whispering among themselves.
Andre noticed Ryan’s gaze and turned his head slightly, the corner of his mouth curling into an unpleasant smile.
Ryan could not be bothered with him and shifted his attention forward again.
The first group of students entered the stone gate full of anticipation.
About fifteen minutes later, they returned.
Most of them wore expressions of lingering excitement mixed with a little regret. Only two students had faint elemental light clusters or timid furry creatures following beside them, indicating that they had successfully established preliminary contact.
A closer look revealed that those two had already chosen the Summoning School as their specialization.
The instructor remained calm and signaled for the second group to enter.
The results were largely the same.
When the third group entered, Andre walked with his chest puffed out, confidence written all over his face.
When they came out, there was actually a half-meter-tall creature beside him—a crude construct made of brown stones and clumps of earth, moving somewhat clumsily.
A Young Rock Golem.
Although it was one of the lowest-tier contract creatures of the earth element, it was already quite eye-catching in this beginner environment where most people could only attract Luminous Fluff Spirits.
Andre deliberately lifted the Mana thread controlling the Young Rock Golem in his hand, letting the little stone creature wobble closer to Ryan. He slightly raised his chin, the pride in his eyes nearly overflowing.
“Looks like my luck isn’t bad,” he said casually to his companions, though his voice was loud enough for Ryan to hear.
“Some people probably cannot even find a stone that understands human speech.”
Ryan did not even blink. He completely ignored the buzzing fly.
What concerned him more was the new line of text that quietly appeared in his vision after Andre’s group emerged.
【Behavior: Entering the deeper region of the Whispering Forest to attempt a spirit contract】
【Outcome: Probability of suffering a severe injury or death from an attack ≈ 50%】
Just as he thought.
That fellow had been quiet for several days because he was preparing something like this.
Ryan’s eyes turned slightly cold.
Soon, the fourth group entered.
Then, at last, it was the turn of Ryan’s fifth group.
“Fifth group, enter the forest. Stay alert, sense with care, and launch a signal immediately if you encounter any abnormal situation.”
The senior guard responsible for guiding them reiterated the rules before opening the stone gate.
The moment they stepped inside the Whispering Forest, the scent of moist soil and rich vitality enveloped them.
The light was broken into fragments by layers of overlapping tree canopies, scattering across the ground covered in fallen leaves and moss.
Countless subtle pulses of Mana flowed through the air, like the gentle breathing of the forest.
Ryan’s group quickly dispersed.
Each person was drawn to a different area. Some headed north toward the faint sound of flowing water, where abundant moisture suggested the presence of water spirits. Others moved south toward denser woods, searching for creatures of wood or natural attributes. A few were interested in a patch of rocky terrain they had spotted, hoping to encounter earth-element companions.
Ryan had no particular target.
He casually followed a faint path toward the middle region of the forest, walking in the direction of the clear stream that flowed through it.
River areas usually held the most active life energy and the greatest diversity of creatures.
The stream murmured softly, sparkling like fragments of gold under the sunlight.
Glowing ferns grew along the banks, and occasionally small water-luminescent insects peeked out from between the leaves.
Ryan released several gentle waves of Mana, attracting a few curious little creatures to circle around him. However, he could tell that these were merely natural creations with barely any rudimentary intelligence, far from capable of forming a contract.
He continued walking upstream along the stream for a while, gradually moving away from the areas where the other students were active.
The surroundings grew quieter and quieter.
It was not that there were no sounds. The murmur of the stream, the wind through the trees, and distant faint birdsong were still present.
Yet the lively, chaotic mental chatter that usually accompanied gatherings of numerous low-tier magical creatures had strangely faded away.
Too quiet.
Ryan stopped walking and leaned against the trunk of a large ancient tree, his sharp gaze sweeping across the surroundings.
The roots of the ancient tree twisted through the ground, vines hung down, and thick bushes grew all around. Every patch of shadow seemed to hide something unknown.
His perception sharpened to its limit, like invisible tendrils probing every trace of disharmony in the environment.
At that moment, from deep within a particularly dense clump of bushes ahead on his right—so thick that almost no light penetrated it—came an extremely faint rustling sound.
It was as if something was stepping carefully on dry leaves with soft padded feet, adjusting its position.
In this overly silent woodland, the sound was clear enough to make one’s scalp tingle.
Ryan’s heart tightened slightly.
At the edge of his vision, golden text instantly appeared.
【Warning: Hidden hostile creature detected】
【Behavior: Ignore the disturbance and continue forward】
【Direct Outcome Probability: Probability of encountering a high-speed ambush within 3 seconds ≈ 75%】
Here it comes.
Ryan’s mind focused sharply.
From the very beginning, he had deliberately walked deeper into the forest to distance himself from the other students.
Only then would it be convenient for him to take action.
Although there was a 50% probability of death, there was also a 50% chance of survival. Moreover, he now had advance warning—far better than being caught completely off guard by a sudden ambush.