The sudden ambush by the Bretton Jungle Spiders served as a stark reminder—this was no place for leisurely strolls.
Though no one had been hurt, and Thunder's explosive intervention had wiped out dozens of spiders, it was sheer luck. The thought still sent shivers down Maria's spine. As an advanced mage, she could've barely protected herself, let alone her students. Those damn spider silks were a nightmare.
For days afterward, the group avoided venturing deeper, sticking to the forest's mid-regions.
Thankfully, mastering the Violet Bloom's growth patterns made hunting them easier. Near a babbling mountain spring, Sisi spotted over a dozen swaying in the breeze. She shooed away drinking beasts and carefully harvested them.
The spring doubled as a bath. Thunder and Eric played temporary guardians, standing watch on either side to ward off beasts or wandering adventurers.
Freshly washed, the girls emerged dripping wet, radiant as water lilies—especially Sisi, her slender frame glowing with youth.
Over a meal, they debated their next move. Fifteen Violet Blooms meant 150 gold coins if they returned to Fai'er now. Eric and Sisi leaned toward cashing in and taking a new mission afterward.
"Round trips waste days," Thunder argued. "If we gather thirty, that's 300 gold—plus more guild points."
*Three hundred gold…* Sisi's eyes sparkled. Previous adventures had barely covered tuition. This time, thanks to their growth—and Thunder—they'd earned 150 gold in days.
"Fine! More Blooms, *then* we turn them in!" Sisi nodded fiercely, already counting imaginary coins.
Maria smirked at Thunder, who rubbed his neck awkwardly.
*Leave now? No way.* He needed higher-tier beast blood. Going back empty-handed? Unthinkable.
From then on, Thunder abandoned restraint. He charged at every beast, leaving Sisi and Eric to bombard them with lightning. Daily hauls included two or three third/fourth-tier cores.
At night, Thunder sketched talismans using the day's beast blood. Maria watched silently, occasionally discussing patterns with him.
By the tenth day, Sisi and Eric grew restless. Adventure thrilled, but repetition bored.
They'd added another dozen Blooms, all found in damp shadows.
"One more day forward, then we head back," Thunder said, bottling fresh beast blood.
"Mm." Sisi sighed, eyeing Maria's staff enviously.
Noticing, Maria twirled her short staff. "Reach intermediate mage, and I'll help you hunt for a core to make your own."
Sisi clung to her, reaching. "Lend it to me for a few days!"
"No." Maria raised it high, feigning sternness. "Only intermediate mages may wield staves. It's forbidden before then."
"Who'd know?" Sisi jumped, but Maria towered over her.
Eric chuckled like an idiot.
"Professor," Thunder frowned, "why the restriction? Staves boost spell power, right?"
Every staff bore a core attuned to its owner, shortening incantations and amplifying magic—effects varying by quality. Maria's was middling at best: cheap materials, no famous crafter, just a fifth-tier core offering meager aid.
Sisi scoffed. "It's the Mage Guild's rule."
"I *know* that," Thunder rolled his eyes. "But *why*?"
"Who cares?" Sisi shrugged.
Maria tucked her staff away, safe from greedy hands. "Before intermediate rank, mages gain little from staves. They're also status symbols. A junior mage's respect pales next to an intermediate's."
"Like swords for knights or lances for cavaliers," she lectured. "Violators lose advancement rights."
Her tone dropped conspiratorially. "Or maybe it's just higher-ups flaunting superiority." *That* sounded like the real truth.
Sisi clasped her hands. "When I rank up, I want an eighth-tier core!"
Eighth-tier cores cost *hundreds of thousands* of gold. Thunder and Eric exchanged glances.
*Dream on.*
**But as tensions simmered beneath the surface, would their unity survive the greed a single staff could ignite?**