160: The ultimate is stability

In the dense forest, perhaps because this secret realm had been sealed for too long, the entire jungle was eerily quiet, appearing dim and unusually tranquil.

In the jungle, besides these withered trees that seemed to have come alive, Green hadn't seen any other living creatures. He didn't know if there simply weren't any or if they were hiding.

Since the two trackers from outside quieted down, there had been no further significant activity.

Green huddled alone in a small underground hole, quietly biding his time, having already made his plan:

"As soon as my strength recovers to its peak, for the sake of caution, I'll immediately make a run for it."

"Counting the time, it's almost time to gather with the main force."

"Hmph..."

"I have a feeling that those two Blood Fortress hunters are definitely still waiting outside. Hehe, when the time comes, I'll lead them to the treasure chest battlefield. Let's see if they still dare to chase?"

"They dared to target me, they must have eaten a bear's heart and leopard's guts. Just you wait, I'll lead you into a trap..."

...At the top of a giant ancient tree.

Two figures in blood-red robes, their expressions shifting, were communicating using a secret technique.

These were precisely the two pursuers who had reverted to their human forms.

Hudson said indignantly:

"Odysseus, how much longer do we have to wait?"

"This cowardly Green, it's been seven or eight hours now, and he still hasn't come out. Is he planning to just hide in that hole forever?"

"I've never seen such a cautious White Wizard. He's even more cautious than that ruthless guy last time who hid underwater for over five hours."

"Alright, Hudson, stop complaining."

Although Odysseus was also very anxious, he maintained a confident demeanor.

"The longer we wait, the greater the value of the target."

"Fishing for a big fish requires patience. Otherwise, if you cast your line haphazardly with a divided mind, you'll scare the big fish away..."

"Hmph..."

"I'm just worried that this big fish will stay hidden at the bottom of the water and never come out. If he hides until the secret realm ends, then all our efforts will be in vain."

"We don't have a single contribution point. How are we going to explain that when we go back?"

..."Steady!"

"Hudson, if you don't have a brain, then listen to me."

Odysseus reprimanded him, somewhat annoyed:

"Didn't we agree on three chapters before we allied? The thinking part is my responsibility, you just need to be in charge of charging forward. Do you want to break the agreement?"

"No, no, no..."

"You misunderstood, Odysseus, that's not what I meant."

"Alright, I won't complain anymore."

Hudson quickly explained. Ever since his mind was damaged by a Formal Wizard from the academy, although he had also benefited from the misfortune, his strength had greatly increased, making him a new Peak Wizard Apprentice. However, no one would want to deal with a wizard who was often intellectually challenged and occasionally deranged.

This was why Odysseus, Hudson's long-time friend, and Hudson's concession of many benefits, led the money-strapped Odysseus to agree to form a team and act together.

Hudson dared not infuriate this last partner away.

He could only curse under his breath:

"Damn Wizard Green, you cunning ground rat, if you have the guts, then never come out."

"If you dare to come out, I'll suck you dry, then chop you into eight pieces, hmph..."

...Just then.

"Chh—"

After a slight sound, a dark figure emerged from the ground and rapidly sped towards the direction of Treasure Chest Number 3, moving extremely fast.

"It's Green!"

"He's out..."

Hudson immediately noticed this unusual scene.

Without overthinking, already impatient from waiting, he directly transformed into a Blood-colored Bat and pursued, following the commotion.

"Hey..."

"Hudson, stop..."

Odysseus, who had been resting with his eyes closed, wanted to stop the reckless Hudson the moment he was startled awake, but he was still a step too late. All that was left for him was a retreating figure, but in a blink, even the figure was gone, leaving only the dim, silent jungle.

"Damn, what a brainless idiot!"

"He didn't even investigate first. What if this is Green's illusion, or a bait? What then?"

His thoughts raced. Odysseus wanted to find a solution that covered all bases. His intuition told him that things weren't that simple, and there was an 80% chance that the dark figure wasn't Green's true body.

Green must be trying to lure the tiger away from the mountain.

"Hmph..."

"I won't play into your hands..."

"Isn't it just an illusion? I can do that too!"

Suddenly, a dark figure flew out from where Odysseus was hiding, directly chasing after Hudson, and thus disappeared into the mist of the jungle.

This area then quieted down... In a short while, two minutes passed.

Green in the underground cave calculated the time.

"It's about time. The Phantom Mouse's trick has probably been seen through."

This was Green's 12th hour in the Elven Secret Realm.

According to the plan, the other wizards from the academy should have already conquered Treasure Chests Number 2 and 3, obtaining two keys.

At this time, all forces, including the roaming hunters, should gather and proceed to the location of Treasure Chest Number 1 to fight a decisive battle with the main force of Blood Fortress and snatch the last treasure chest key.

In the jungle, the wizards of Heart of Plants were the darlings of plants, the ghosts of the jungle. With the hunters' involvement, it would not be difficult for Plant Heart Academy to obtain two treasure chest keys.

"Thump..."

Green emerged from the underground hole like a ghost, but he still inevitably made a slight sound.

A Blood-colored Bat with a two-meter wingspan quietly flew above Green the moment he began to move and emerged from the hole, seemingly wanting to do something everyone would enjoy, such as—a sneak attack.

Unfortunately, what greeted this Great Bat was not hard steel armor, but a scorching fireball, with a power of up to 70 degrees.

Zero-ring Advanced Wizardry—Exploding Fireball, reappeared in the world.

"Damn it!"

"Boom..."

A violent explosion sent the two figures, less than two meters apart, flying more than ten meters away... Immediately afterward, one of the figures, tall and burly, clad in armor, like a rabbit chased by a hound, directly used the shockwave to complete a propelled start, bursting out with astonishing speed. In a flash, then another flash, he disappeared into the depths of the jungle, out of sight...

"What the f*ck!"

"Green, you motherf*cker!"

The Blood-colored Bat, looking at its charred and twisted body, and one forelimb broken by the sudden explosion, couldn't help but curse, intimately greeting the 'esteemed' Wizard Green's female relatives for eighteen generations up and down.

"Ah..."

The half-crippled Great Bat ignored its injuries and directly used a secret technique, a burst of blood-red light erupting from its entire body, chasing after Green along the traces he left behind.

At the same time, he didn't forget to send a message to Hudson, who was venting his anger on a mouse:

"Come quickly, I found Green's true body."

"If I don't kill this Wizard Green, I'll be damned if I'm still human."

"You bastard Green, just you wait, I'll use your soul to light a sky lantern!"