Sarra was just as puzzled.
She was, after all, within the grounds of Crossbridge Academy.
How could there possibly be any danger here?
As she took another step forward, her body reacted before her mind could catch up, instinctively flipping backward.
She landed gracefully, but her heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the spot where she had just been standing.
A thin, vine-like strip of paper had lashed out from a willow tree, striking the ground where her feet had been.
If not for her body’s reflexes, Sarra was certain she would have been struck down.
Her heart raced, adrenaline surging as she replayed the near-miss in her mind.
“I warned you not to get too close,” Ryze said, approaching with a look of exasperation. “Why didn’t you listen? At least you’re unharmed…”
“What is this place? Why did the tree attack me?” Sarra asked, still catching her breath.
“The tree didn’t attack you,” Ryze explained, gesturing toward the willow. “It was protecting the lake.”
Sarra followed his gaze, realizing the tree wasn’t alone.
A ring of willows surrounded the lake, their long, slender branches swaying lightly despite the lack of wind.
When Ryze had followed the mysterious energy that had led him here, he had immediately noticed something unusual about the lake.
The water was saturated with mana, its surface shimmering faintly with magical energy.
After a closer look, Ryze discovered the lake was situated at the center of a massive magic array.
It wasn’t hard to guess who had created it.
Ryze had witnessed Daniel designing magic arrays at Winterkeep Citadel, and this one bore the same hallmarks.
Beneath the lake, Ryze suspected there were forges—countless magical forges tirelessly producing mana-infused liquid.
What surprised him most was that these forges hadn’t been placed recently.
They had clearly been set up long ago, likely before Daniel had even departed for Winterrealm.
The forges’ work had been so abundant that they had altered the lake itself, suffusing it with mana.
Over time, even the plants and soil of Crossbridge Academy had absorbed traces of this energy.
The environment was rich with mana, accelerating the students’ magical growth and understanding.
No wonder Crossbridge Academy was known as the
sanctuary.
With such an environment, it wasn’t just a sanctuary—it was a paradise for any mage.
“The lake has changed everything around it,” Ryze continued, explaining to Sarra. “The plants, the soil, even the air—it’s all been infused with mana. The willows are the most affected, which is why they react aggressively to outsiders approaching the lake.”
“So the trees aren’t attacking out of malice. They’re just protecting the lake,” Sarra mused, her awe slowly replacing her fear.
“Exactly,” Ryze confirmed.
Sarra’s earlier bravado faded, replaced by a newfound respect for the academy. “No wonder Lord Daniel and the Headmaster are so powerful,” she muttered. “If someone like me could grow up here, I’d probably be far stronger too…”
Ryze chuckled. “Daniel’s strength has little to do with this place. After all, this sanctuary exists because of him.”
The sheer scale of the magic array, the forges, and the mana-saturated environment left no doubt in Ryze’s mind. Daniel had built it all.
“So you’re saying… the entire Crossbridge Academy, even Riverside City, owes its existence to Daniel?” Sarra asked, incredulous.
“That’s not an exaggeration,” Ryze replied, shaking his head. Even he found it hard to fathom Daniel’s capabilities.
The sheer number of forges Daniel had deployed would be impossible for even the most powerful factions on the continent to assemble in such a short time.
But Daniel had done it alone.
“Maybe Daniel truly is here to save our world,” Ryze said, a hint of reverence in his voice.
After seeing Riverside City and Crossbridge Academy firsthand, Ryze no longer doubted that as long as Daniel remained, the world would never fall into ruin.
Just then, a voice interrupted his thoughts.
Crying and shouting, Rikki ran toward them, clearly distressed.
“What’s going on?” Ryze asked, noticing the injuries on Rikki’s body. “Did you get into a fight with someone?”
This could spell trouble.
While they were traveling with Nina, none of them were officially affiliated with Crossbridge Academy yet.
The willows’ earlier attack on Sarra had already demonstrated how precarious their position was.
If Rikki had gotten into a conflict with a student, resolving the matter could be challenging.
Their only option might be to seek Nina’s help.
Between sobs, Rikki recounted the events.
Earlier, it had wandered near the lake, drawn by the calming energy emanating from it.
Unlike Sarra, Rikki hadn’t been attacked by the willows and had entered the water without issue.
The lake’s mana-rich environment felt incredibly soothing, and Rikki had happily splashed around.
But before long, it had attracted the attention of a group of fish.
At first, Rikki didn’t think much of them. In fact, it had considered catching one to see if it was edible. freёwebnovel.com
To its shock, the fish turned out to be far stronger than they appeared.
One-on-one, they were already a match for Rikki, but as a group, they overwhelmed it completely.
In the end, Rikki had been forced to flee, its pride bruised and its body battered.
“Ryze, you’ve got to help me! I can’t let a bunch of fish humiliate me like this!” Rikki pleaded, its voice filled with desperation.
Ryze couldn’t help but feel exasperated.
So this was about revenge?
Rikki had gotten beaten up by fish and was now seeking help to even the score.
Ryze sighed. “I can’t help you with this. You’ll have to handle it yourself. Or… you could try asking the chief for help.”
Hearing Ryze’s refusal, Rikki grumbled but didn’t press the matter further.
“This place really is something else,” Sarra said, her voice tinged with awe. “Even the lake is full of powerful creatures. No wonder they call this place a sanctuary.”
Rikki, a member of the mighty battle-bear clan, had been defeated by mere fish. It was a humbling experience.
Sarra couldn’t help but feel a new sense of humility. She had underestimated the academy and its surroundings.
Initially, she had thought the people outside Winterrealm weren’t as formidable as Nina had claimed.
But now, she realized how wrong she had been.
This was Riverside City.
This was Crossbridge Academy.
Even a seemingly ordinary lake held secrets and power beyond her imagination.
“What about the students here?” Sarra wondered aloud. “If the environment is this extraordinary, the students must be even more impressive…”
But she smiled, her competitive spirit igniting.
“Good,” she said. “The stronger the opponents, the more exciting the challenge. This will be the perfect place to grow stronger!”