The first wave of Furnace apprentices surged toward the Nightshadow Fortress like a tidal wave, charging straight at the black canopy.
However, Nightshadow Fortress remained eerily calm, not attempting to hinder their advance with ranged sorcery.
It wasn't until the apprentices' bodies broke through the canopy and entered the Fortress's domain that the situation changed.
The Fortress's anti-energy formation came into full effect, making the concentration of negative energy particles significantly denser than the outside world.
The moment the apprentices stepped past the canopy, the surrounding negative energy swiftly converged. Immediately, waves of necromantic and negative energy sorcery erupted, launching a ferocious assault on the intruders.
High above, Aestry stood on the back of a black dragon, watching the battle with calm detachment. Her violet eyes seemed to pierce through the vast distance, locked onto the unfolding scene beneath the canopy.
The Nightshadow Fortress's counterattack had been long prepared, and its explosive force was terrifying.
However, to Aestry's slight surprise, this wave of attacks did not inflict as many casualties on the Furnace apprentices as she had expected.
She observed that, despite the devastating negative energy onslaught causing widespread chaos, nearly sixty percent of the apprentices successfully broke through the canopy and entered the Fortress's interior.
A faint smile curled on her lips.
"These apprentices, trained by official wizards, are indeed exceptional. Far stronger than ordinary apprentices."
"If we had them back when we breached the Bitter Heart Sect's formation, we might have swept through everything on the first day."
But rather than delighting her, this realization only made Aestry's gaze turn colder.
After all, if she hadn't personally returned to the Furnace and forcibly summoned these wizards' students, they would probably still be hiding inside the Furnace.
"They may have wizards as mentors, but they are still merely Furnace apprentices. If they won't even participate in the Furnace War, then what use do they have? If they can't serve me, they might as well die here."
The high survival rate of the first wave was a good thing it meant the next wave of apprentices wouldn't be wiped out instantly by another round of sorcery.
"The second wave, advance!"
Soon, a second wave of Furnace apprentices surged forward, reinforcing the battlefront.
Against the Fortress's formidable counter-energy sorcery, the Furnace's strategy was brutally simple relentless human-wave assaults, forcing a bloody path forward.
One of the official wizards from Nightshadow Fortress stood on the front lines, his sharp gaze assessing the charging apprentices with mild surprise.
"Hm? More of them survived than I expected. Seems like these Furnace apprentices are indeed of high quality no wonder they were cultivated by a fourth-level faction."
The gap between third-level and fourth-level wizards wasn't just about power but also status and resources.
A fourth-level faction was leagues beyond what a third-level one could compare to.
"Let's wait a bit longer. The number of dead apprentices is still too low. It's not yet worth activating that sorcery."
His voice carried a chilling edge, clearly waiting for the right moment to strike.
Lynn was mixed within the advancing army of Furnace apprentices, rushing toward the looming canopy.
By now, he had intentionally distanced himself from Colin and Sonya.
According to his plan with Colin, the priority was to control the battlefield's momentum rather than blindly charging at the enemy.
Blending into a large group made him a bigger target, increasing the risk of exposing his "fake fight" tactics.
"Kill!"
Ahead, multiple waves of apprentices had already widened the battlefront. In some areas, Furnace apprentices had even engaged Nightshadow Fortress's warriors in close combat.
Lynn remained mindful of Colin's hint he wasn't avoiding combat, but his sharp gaze was constantly scanning for the right place to "fake fight" effectively.
Suddenly, from within Nightshadow Fortress, an official wizard ascended into the air, chanting an incantation.
A surge of intense necromantic energy swept across the battlefield.
The wind howled, tearing Lynn's hood away, his robes billowing wildly.
Yet, he remained unaffected, his eyes locking onto his surroundings with razor-sharp focus.
All around, corpses whether intact or mangled began to twitch unnaturally.
Then, to his surprise, they started to rise.
Like soulless puppets, they lunged at the Furnace apprentices.
"Undead? Or zombies? But… they don't seem capable of casting spells…"
Lynn sidestepped an attacking undead apprentice, analyzing the situation rapidly.
While these reanimated corpses lacked sorcery, they were still a significant threat.
After all, a horde of them would severely disrupt the apprentices' casting rhythm.
"Destroy the bodies! Even our fallen comrades crush their corpses completely!"
A third-level wizard apprentice shouted, quickly alerting those nearby.
Lynn assessed the battlefield and maneuvered deftly through the chaos.
These undead were sluggish, and his newly enhanced physique having reached Level 2 wizard Apprentice was now at 3 points.
In this situation, he could easily evade them for a long time, perfectly aligning with his current strategy.
However, at that moment, an unexpected voice rang out excited, yet tinged with desperation:
"Lynn! It is you! Help me!"
Lynn's brow furrowed. The voice was familiar yet slightly distant.
Dodging another corpse's attack, he turned his gaze and there he was.
A wizard apprentice, face alight with shock and joy, was being pursued by three undead.
"White…? The one who was with Riley that day?"
Recognition flashed through Lynn's mind.
It was White the very apprentice who had called out his name, catching Riley's attention.
Their unresolved grudge had not yet been settled, and now, White was trying to throw trouble his way again.
"White. Mental Strength: 7. Physique: 2."
"So, just a Level 1 wizard Apprentice… Surviving this long he must have been lucky."
Lynn's eyes glinted dangerously as he scanned White's basic stats with his crystal ball.
He then began chanting in a low voice.
"Lynn! Help me take them down! I have orders from the Furnace!"
White's elation was evident he truly believed he had found his lifeline, frantically running toward Lynn.
But Lynn had already made his decision.
"Ice Arrow!"
Seeing the spell forming, White's face lit up with relief, already grateful for his "savior."
But in the next instant, the ice arrow shot forward piercing straight through his chest.
The sheer force of the freezing energy shredded him apart, along with the three undead trailing behind him.
"There was no real grudge between us, but twice now, you've chosen to get in my way. You can't blame me for this."
Lynn's expression was indifferent, his tone even carrying a hint of regret for having wasted even a fraction of his mental energy on that ice arrow.
Though the spell's cost was minimal, it was still a needless expenditure.
Just as he was about to leave, his gaze sharpened.
Amidst the scattered remains of White's corpse, a fist-sized yellow crystal hovered, faintly glowing.
"…This is…"
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