An adult Greenjaw Raven first pecked at the ground with its massive beak, unearthing a fresh moss root. The two large circular nostrils atop its beak took a deep sniff.
The crisp, refreshing taste of the moss root didn't hold the adult Greenjaw Raven's attention.
Because at this moment, its focus was drawn to the alluring scent it had just detected.
"Chirp, chirp!" A series of urgent, rhythmic calls erupted from the adult Greenjaw Raven.
As soon as it made the sound, several other Greenjaw Ravens nearby turned their heads toward it.
As magical creatures far superior to ordinary beasts, Greenjaw Ravens possessed higher intelligence and remarkable pack coordination.
A pack of over twenty adult Greenjaw Ravens was something even an average mid-tier magical beast would avoid confronting head-on.
Only creatures like the Saltwater Crocodile—top-tier among mid-tier magical beasts, armored with thick scales—could confidently take on Greenjaw Ravens.
But even a Saltwater Crocodile would turn and flee if faced with more than forty adult Greenjaw Ravens or a pack led by both a male and female alpha.
The saying "Even ants can kill an elephant when they swarm" was not uncommon in the underground world.
Yet no matter how intelligent or coordinated Greenjaw Ravens were, they were still just beasts.
In terms of wisdom, how could they compare to humans, the pinnacle of evolution—let alone learned mages who wielded the power of the elements?
When a group of six Greenjaw Ravens was lured by the sweet berries Cyen had set out, he knew his academy mission was already halfway complete.
After all six entered the ambush zone, Cyen didn't act immediately. Instead, he waited.
Mages never lacked patience—a trait honed through countless days and nights of tedious magical research at their workbenches.
Just as Cyen had bided his time when facing the far stronger Saltwater Crocodile, he remained cautious now.
The Greenjaw Ravens before him, despite being individually weaker, didn't earn his underestimation.
Sure enough, as time passed, more and more Greenjaw Ravens were drawn in by the sweet berries.
When seventeen adult Greenjaw Ravens had entered the ambush zone—including the alpha Cyen had been watching, its two vibrant tail feathers finally stepping into the iron-phosphorus powder spread area—Cyen finally moved.
A low, restrained chant of a spell began.
The rising heat of fire-elemental particles in the surrounding space made the perceptive Greenjaw Raven alpha let out an agitated screech.
Just as the alpha urged its pack to retreat, a wall of flames over two meters tall and nearly five meters wide erupted in the darkness!
This was Cyen's newly mastered intermediate spell—Fire Wall.
The initial appearance of the Fire Wall didn't deal significant damage to the Greenjaw Ravens, but it ignited the iron-phosphorus powder Cyen had laid out.
Even fiercer flames, an even wider inferno, erupted in this once-silent, dark world.
The shrill shrieks of the Greenjaw Ravens echoed incessantly in Cyen's ears.
As the pack descended into chaos and terror from the sudden ambush, Cyen—hidden in the shadows—never stopped chanting.
Another Fire Wall materialized, sealing off the pack's escape route.
The spell itself didn't last long, but the flames grew fiercer and spread wider—thanks to the iron-phosphorus powder and the flammable moss beneath the terrain.
After casting two Fire Walls, Cyen didn't waste more mana. Instead, he gripped his Acid Staff, slowly recovering his mental and magical energy while keeping his eyes locked on the pack trapped in the inferno.
Under the alpha's desperate screeches, the adult Greenjaw Ravens repeatedly tried to charge through the flames, searching for a path to survival.
Even those outside the fire, previously uninterested in the berries, now rushed in under the alpha's command, attempting a rescue.
This was a "feast" of flames and perishing life.
As one Greenjaw Raven after another collapsed into charred husks, Cyen's tension eased.
Also witnessing this fiery spectacle were the underground humans hidden in the ashen valley.
The might of magic deepened their fear and reverence for Cyen—and for dark mages in general.
Illiterate and ignorant, they couldn't distinguish between a full-fledged dark mage and an apprentice.
To them, any figure clad in black robes from the city of Mosobula was an entity they dared not provoke.
Cyen was highly satisfied with the Fire Wall's performance. As an area-of-effect spell, its power was significantly amplified by the iron-phosphorus powder.
The only drawback was his lack of mastery—his casting speed was still too slow.
In battle, a few seconds could mean the difference between life and death.
"Screech!" Just as Cyen was reviewing his mission and spellcasting, a piercing cry tore through the flames.
A massive bird, nearly a meter long, leaped through the fire. Behind it, seven or eight smaller packmates followed.
Unfortunately, Greenjaw Ravens couldn't fly, and the scorching flames and smoke hindered their movements.
Of the eight, only three of the strongest followed their alpha out of the inferno.
Their once-green feathers were now charred black, and the scent of roasted meat lingered in the air.
Instead of fleeing, the alpha—driven mad by the loss of its pack and the searing pain—charged straight toward Cyen's location.
This impulsive behavior highlighted the low intelligence and rash nature of lesser magical beasts.
Had this been another dark magic apprentice, survival—not vengeance—would've been the priority.
Three severely injured adult Greenjaw Ravens followed their alpha's charge.
Four more, relatively unharmed by the flames, also rushed toward Cyen.
Without their numbers, these few magical creatures—and one lesser beast—were nothing more than ants in Cyen's eyes.
Another spell chant began. This time, a massive flaming hand materialized in the darkness.