Ancient Wizards: A Little Progress Every Day

The wizards looked at Dago with mixed feelings, some disdainful, some delighted.

Suddenly, a sneer filled the arena.

"You don't actually think that the academy, plus us rats, can withstand an invasion by the Darkblood Council, do you?"

Dago realized that it was the same thin, middle-aged wizard in his forties who was speaking, his face full of mockery and disdain.

As soon as he spoke, many people in the audience had their eyes flickering, and some even showed a clear intention to leave.

"A bunch of old, weak, sick, and disabled people thinking of stopping a notorious terrorist organization in the wizarding world, and trusting an academy dog..."

Dago frowned and looked at the gaunt wizard who spoke again.

Old Maric stepped forward, pointed his finger at him, and cursed, "I kindly told you about the Darkblood Council, and you don't appreciate it at all, instead you're making sarcastic remarks."

"Why are you meddling in other people's business, old man? The Darkblood Council is here, so I'll just join them. After all, I'm a level three apprentice wizard."

The gaunt wizard retorted to old Maric with an indifferent expression.

"You..." Old Marico was speechless with anger.

"Shut your stinking mouth."

Dago suddenly shouted, and everyone looked at him in astonishment.

He stared coldly at the gaunt wizard, a deep blue halo slowly shifting in his eyes.

The gaunt wizard glared back fiercely, his expression grim as he spoke, "You academy dog, who gave you the audacity to speak to me like that?"

The gaunt wizard had barely finished speaking when he suddenly sensed that the spiritual energy emanating from Dago was stronger than his own, and his expression changed drastically.

He stared at Dago for a moment, his face full of incomprehension, and said, "Such a young level three wizard apprentice? And he's living in the forest like a rat."

"I like it," Dago said coldly, raising his white hand slightly, ready to teach him a lesson.

"You've got guts, just you wait." In the end, the gaunt wizard didn't dare to confront Dago head-on. He left with a harsh remark and a grim face.

Seeing him leave, Dago spoke again: "Tomorrow morning I will bring people from the academy here to discuss the formation of a forest patrol team with everyone."

The wizards dispersed, each lost in their own thoughts, but before leaving, they looked at Dago with a hint of respect in their eyes.

Dago estimated that he would become a celebrity in the forest afterward.

"Dago, I didn't expect you to improve so quickly."

After the forest wizards left, only Dago and old Marico remained by the campfire.

Old Maric's expression was very complicated. He knew some of Dago's background; just a month or two ago, he was only a first-level wizard apprentice.

Dago didn't hide anything and said, "Didn't I ask you about the Moonflower before? I can already refine spiritual potions, so my strength is increasing faster."

Old Marico glanced at Dago and remarked, "I didn't expect you to actually dare to go there to pick fruit. Even I wouldn't dare to go there."

Dago smiled slightly guiltily and didn't reply.

"Are the people at the academy reliable?" Old Marico asked again.

"His skills are probably alright, it's just that he's not a good person."

"Let's take it one step at a time. We'll discuss the patrol team again tomorrow morning, but I don't know how many wizards will come tomorrow."

Old Maric said with slight unease.

"It's alright, it's up to each person's wishes. You can't force someone who doesn't want to stay," Dago comforted old Marico.

As the campfire in front of them gradually died down, the two left, each lost in their own thoughts.

After returning to the shelter, Dago sighed, "What a turbulent time."

In the afternoon, he used the moonflowers he had collected the day before to refine five spirit potions as strategic reserves.

He then began cultivating in the open space outside.

The following day, Dago set off early for the college to find Viser, and together they came to old Marico to discuss the matters concerning the patrol team.

The two walked along the winding, dark forest path in silence.

As autumn arrives, the forest takes on a somewhat desolate appearance.

After walking for about thirty minutes, the two finally arrived at their destination.

A campfire was lit, and six figures sat around it chatting. When they saw Dago and his companion approaching, they all stood up and turned to look at them.

Dago nodded to each of the people around the campfire, then pointed to Viser beside him and introduced him to the crowd: "Viser, a mid-stage level three apprentice wizard, a genius wizard of the academy."

A young second-level apprentice wizard said with delight, "I've heard of Viser's name. This is great! Our team is much stronger now."

The people standing there agreed wholeheartedly, and smiles appeared on their faces.

Old Maric stepped forward and extended his hand to shake hands, saying, "A warm welcome to you."

Viser glanced at old Maric's hand but ignored him, so old Maric had no choice but to awkwardly withdraw his hand.

Dago watched this scene with displeasure, feeling a bit annoyed. He was about to say something when old Marico gestured to Dago that it was nothing and not to act impulsively.

"Almost everyone's here. The rest probably won't be coming. Next, we'll form the forest patrol team," Dago said.

The young second-level apprentice wizard looked at Viser with admiration and spoke first: "Then the next question is who will be the leader, that is, the captain. I propose that Viser be our captain."

Old Maric glanced at the young wizard and said in a firm tone, "Ian, Dago and Viser are both at the level of third-level apprentice wizards, but Dago has very rich experience in forest hunting, which will be of great help to the team."

Viser said, "I have the strength of a mid-stage, level three apprentice wizard, while he is merely a beginner."

"Dago killed a mid-stage Level 3 Apprentice Wizard member of the Darkblood Council," old Marico said dismissively.

Everyone looked at Dago in surprise and fell silent; his impressive record was truly remarkable.

"If no one objects, then I will be the captain of the forest patrol team from now on."

Dago stepped forward and said expressionlessly.

"First, we need to trust each other and each state our names and capabilities."

The crowd was talking amongst themselves in a chaotic manner, which gave Dago a headache, but he eventually managed to write it all down.

The forest ranger team consisted of eight people, of whom only himself, Viser, and old Maric were third-level apprentice wizards.

Almost all of them were level two apprentices, and there was also a little girl with her head down who was a level one apprentice.

Having made up his mind, Dago said, "Let's implement a three-three system for our patrol team. I, old Marico, and Viser will be the three teams in charge."

After a brief discussion, the group split into teams, with Old Marico and Evan forming one team.

The two younger male second-level apprentice wizards, Ian and Gavin, both chose to follow Viser.

With only Serena, a first-level apprentice wizard whom no one wanted, left, Dago could only accept it with a wry smile.

Who told him to be the captain, and the strongest wizard in the team?

"If you divide the group into three groups, the three groups will be arranged in a triangle to ensure that any two groups can communicate effectively by shouting. When one group finds the target, the other two groups can arrive to provide support within 5-10 minutes. This distance is about 200 meters."

Dago explained the upcoming arrangements in detail.

"If you understand, everyone spread out and patrol the red dot areas on the sheepskin map first, with my group as the arrowhead and the other two groups as the flanks."

Afterwards, everyone dispersed according to their groups.

Serena followed behind Dago, taking one step at a time as he did, leaving Dago somewhat speechless.

She is slender and about 160cm tall. She always has a habit of slightly hunching her back and burying her head, trying to shrink herself into a small ball to reduce her presence.

She has long, light gray hair with slightly natural curls at the ends.

She always casually tied her hair into a loose low ponytail, with a few stray strands hanging down on either side of her face, as messy as her restless thoughts.

"Tell me your story," Dago said as they walked.

When Serena saw Dago looking at her, her cheeks quickly flushed red, and she unconsciously twisted the hem of her robe with her hands. She stammered and was so nervous that she couldn't even speak a complete sentence.

Ten minutes later, Dagger finally understood the gist of her story...

Born into a declining wizarding family, whose glory days are long gone.

All that remained was a dilapidated wizard's manor and a room full of ancient books about magical plants.

From a young age, her parents placed high hopes on her, hoping that she could restore the family's glory, but this expectation brought her enormous pressure.

During her time at the Wizarding Academy of Enark, Serena was often bullied by her classmates due to her family's decline and her introverted personality.

She dared not resist, so she could only live in the forest and isolate herself.

It seems she's a victim of bullying at the academy. Dago's goodwill towards the academy plummeted.

"So you're a little rich female wizard? That's way better than me," Dargo joked.

Serena blushed instantly and stood there stammering, unsure of what to say.

However, Dago wasn't there for a picnic or to pick up girls; he kept using his detection spell to observe the surrounding energy particle fluctuations throughout the conversation.

Adding to the pressure is the presence of a level one apprentice wizard with zero combat power beside him.

Serena, seeing that he had stopped speaking, looked enviously at his clean and beautiful third-level apprentice wizard robes.

Looking at her ill-fitting gray robe, she lowered her head even further, like an ostrich.

Her long robe was an old family heirloom; the wide sleeves and floor-length hem made her appear even smaller, as if she might be swallowed up by the fabric at any moment.

The hem of the robe was embroidered with faded vine patterns, a symbol of the family's former glory, but now dimmed with the decline of the Verlin family.

"Be more confident, hold your head high and walk with your head held high," Dago said, annoyed at her ostrich-like behavior.

"Yes, Lord Dago," Serena said, looking up as if she had been bullied.

Dago's eyes, shimmering with a deep blue aura, casually glanced at Serena.

Her skin was so pale it was almost transparent, with a few freckles scattered across it, like magic dust that had been accidentally sprinkled.

Her large, light green eyes always drooped timidly, as if hiding endless unease and shyness.

Overall, she's a very pretty young woman.