The power of the intermediate spell "Flame Hand" far surpassed that of the "Fire Wall" spell.
Since the nearby flames had yet to die out, the dense concentration of fire-elemental energy particles caused the Flame Hand spell cast by Thane to appear even larger than usual.
The moment the colossal Flame Hand materialized, the Greenbeak King's charge toward Thane came to an abrupt halt.
While it was true that low-level magical beasts were easily provoked and lacked intelligence, it didn't mean they sought death.
The instinctive desire for survival and fear of death made the charging Greenbeak King attempt to turn and flee.
But by then, it was already too late.
The massive Flame Hand closed the distance in an instant, not only roasting the Greenbeak King alive with a single squeeze but also reducing the few adult Greenbeaks nearby to charred husks.
The death of their leader and the intensifying heat from the surrounding flames finally shattered the morale of the remaining Greenbeaks.
Cornered by the encroaching fire, the surviving birds scattered in panic, abandoning even their young and the precious Greenbeak eggs behind.
The inferno turned the Ashen Valley as bright as day.
...
As the flames gradually subsided and the sweltering heat dissipated into the cold, dark embrace of the underground world, Thane finally took stock of his spoils.
Twenty-one charred adult Greenbeaks and one Greenbeak King—these were his greatest rewards from this venture.
He harvested the most valuable parts—their talons and beaks. Half of the talons would be submitted as proof of his completed mission, while the remaining half and the beaks could either be sold through Bors or kept for personal use.
Having studied alchemy under his mentor, Mosido, for some time now, Thane had grown eager to try his hand at the craft.
Using overly precious materials would be a waste at his current skill level, but these Greenbeak parts, infused with faint elemental energy, were perfect for practice.
Beyond the twenty-two Greenbeaks, Thane also collected seven eggs, each slightly larger than a fist.
A rough estimate placed his total earnings at over two hundred Black Gold coins.
With minimal personal expenditure, this was practically pure profit, lifting Thane's spirits considerably.
The only downside was his lack of spatial storage equipment, forcing him to prioritize the most valuable parts and leave the rest behind.
His backpack was now stuffed with Greenbeak talons, beaks, and eggs, and he even tied one of the Greenbeak King's hind legs to his waist—a treat he planned to bring back for Lena.
As a dark magic apprentice, Thane's current appearance was far from dignified after handling his spoils.
He resembled a hunter more than a mage, though he paid little mind to his disheveled state as he made his way out of the Ashen Valley.
Upon exiting, the group of underground humans reappeared before him.
To his surprise and mild exasperation, they had also managed to capture a severely wounded adult Greenbeak, clearly waiting for his return.
The value of a single magical beast held little appeal to Thane—he was no longer a novice apprentice, after all.
Seeing their hopeful expressions, he waved dismissively. "Take this one for yourselves. There are still some Greenbeak remains and juvenile corpses in the valley. That should compensate for the losses from the burned moss fields."
His words prompted the humans to kneel in tearful gratitude.
Not all dark magic apprentices were as lenient as Thane. While the scorched moss fields pained them, it was still preferable to having them completely overrun by the Greenbeak swarm.
And though Thane saw little worth in the dozens of Greenbeak carcasses, to these humans, they were treasures beyond measure.
Meat was a luxury among the common folk of Mossabra City, let alone flesh from magical beasts and low-level monsters.
Thane suspected they would sell most of it, keeping only a small portion for themselves.
No creature in the underground world lived an easy life—everyone struggled desperately to survive.
Watching their tearful gratitude, even Thane's usually cold heart—hardened by the ruthless environment of the dark magic academy—flickered with faint emotion.
...
After leaving the Ashen Valley, Thane headed straight back toward Mossabra City.
Before departing, he had advised the humans to dispose of the Greenbeak remains quickly—lingering scents of blood might attract more trouble, forcing him to return for another academy mission.
Despite the bulky spoils weighing him down, they barely slowed his pace.
His physique ranked among the top of intermediate apprentices, and while the loot took up space, it wasn't particularly heavy.
Thus, in the darkness, Thane moved like a swiftly gliding shadow.
The distance between the Ashen Valley and Mossabra City wasn't great. As he had predicted, this mission would take no more than five days—four, to be precise.
This was supposed to be a relatively "safe" route.
But whether due to the aftermath of the valley fire or sheer bad luck, Thane encountered an unexpected ambush on his return.
A blinding streak of light flashed before him in the darkness.
The sudden threat sent his hair standing on end, and a chill crept up his neck beneath his robes.
Only his quick reflexes saved him—a desperate roll to the side spared him from a slit throat.
A faint numbness spread from his neck, leaving his body stiff as he hit the ground.
Instinctively, Thane raised his concealed arm.
Through the dim vision granted by his pale mask, his Acid Staff unleashed a corrosive blast!
The ambusher had lain in wait, intending a single, lethal strike.
The attack had drained much of its strength, and it never expected Thane to dodge, let alone counterattack.
The high-level corrosive acid spell emitted a sharp hiss as it tore through the darkness.
A pained grunt followed—Thane had struck true.
The potency of the Acid Staff had been proven before.
The attacker clearly couldn't withstand a high-level spell, staggering a few steps before collapsing.
Suppressing the spreading numbness, Thane forced himself upright and approached the fallen figure.
Emerging from the shadows was a creature clad in black lichen-leather, standing no taller than four feet.
Its disproportionately large, pitch-black eyes—devoid of pupils—marked it as non-human.
Clutched in its hand was a dagger, its blade smeared with a sinister blue fluid mixed with blood—undoubtedly the weapon that had wounded Thane.