Magic Academy Bans Harem

Chapter 189 World Tree Maze

Riding on a floating stone slab controlled by Ritas with magic, the group went deep into the deep cave.

Through the light around her, the bathing goddess, whose vision was broader and clearer than anyone else's, looked at the scene inside the cave.

At first, the goddess of bathing focused her attention on the cave wall, which was in several distinct colors, and one side was mostly broken, but there were a few neat parts with neat bricks.

As she went deeper, the Bathing Goddess began to pay attention to the shape of this deep hole.

Generally speaking, this deep hole is not vertical, and there are many "fold lines" from top to bottom.

"I feel like this is a tunnel that has been turned upside down. No, a corridor?"

“That’s an interesting idea.”

Because of the different perspectives on things, sometimes the Bathing Goddess's subconscious thoughts or flashes of inspiration are considered by Ritas to be quite valuable.

"Could it be Levis who did it? She knocked over the World Tree when she caused chaos at Earls Academy!"

Of course, there are times when it makes no sense.
"No matter what, it shouldn't be that serious. According to the records, when the dean came to this academy, the 'World Tree' was basically in its current state. The dean just hollowed out the trunk and built a tree house."

"Tsk tsk. I just built a tree house~"

Next to Ritas, Courtline, who was listening to him chatting with the Bathing Goddess, couldn't help but speak out.

In the past, Courteney didn't know much about the legendary "Tree Witch". After coming to Earls College for more than a month, although she hadn't actually met Livis, the various rumors about her and the various "traces" she left behind had already greatly broadened her horizons.

During the simple conversation, the stone slab carrying everyone moved down.

"Noah, would you like some water?"

On the other side of the stone slab, even though there was plenty of light all around, Noah's face turned pale as he couldn't help feeling uncomfortable at the thought of being in a dark and narrow place.

Although she was the younger one, Merci looked more mature in all aspects. She stayed by Noah's side, gently stroking his bent back and asked softly.

"No. I'm fine."

Noah's mood was actually very complicated at this time.

After the Summer Festival, everything is different now. On the one hand, Noah doesn't want to cause trouble to the people around him, but on the other hand, he hopes that they can stay by his side.

In the past, Noah might have preferred those people who could always gather together even without any special reason.

For example, the classmates and friends in the Chicheng grade, and the good members in the Magicball Seminar.

But now, she is more dependent on Mercy, Ritas and others who are involved in the bathing seminar.

There are more or less some reasons why they have to get together, which are more like mutual interests.

But this kind of relationship, from another perspective, can also be said to be a reason why they will not easily abandon her.

As Noah's thoughts made her forget the physical and mental resistance, the stone slab carrying everyone slowly stopped.

Countless vines were intricately tangled together, blocking their path, turning every ray of light into a dark green ocean.

In the underground passage.

Merci was ready with the "Talisman of Restriction" in her hand.

Noah grabbed his chest with one hand, and with trembling lips, he began to guide the power of the star pattern in his body.

As the pattern behind Noah emitted a faint light, her long green hair seemed to have life and began to move without wind. The next moment, the long hair twisted together, forming a vine-like posture. Wherever the green vines carrying the power of Noah's star pattern went, the vines that tightly blocked the passage also retreated to the surroundings as if they had spirituality, making way for everyone to continue to go down.

There is more than one vine blocking the underground passage.

Rather, after going about a few dozen meters deep, you will see dark vines everywhere.

Moreover, after Noah led everyone through, the vines above their heads closed again immediately.

Along the way, except for Merci who quietly asked about Noah's condition when she noticed that he was not doing well, the rest of the people remained silent in order not to interrupt Noah's concentration.

It was not until the stone slab passed through the numerous checkpoints formed by the dark vines and descended to a wide area where they could land that the people, who had been in a state of inexplicable tension, breathed a sigh of relief.

"Noah has made great progress."

“It is indeed commendable.”

Ritas commented fairly.

Although, it is just a simple description of the control ability of the star mark holder over the star mark. Both Merci and Tabatha are much stronger than Noah.

However, considering that Noah's power was awakened in the worst possible situation, it was already a huge breakthrough that she could use her power at the lowest level of her own will.

With this progress from zero to one, Noah's mastery and development of his own abilities will only become smoother and smoother.

"It feels like you didn't teach them much, but they gradually became stronger. In the game, you have to equip special accessories so that characters who don't fight can share experience. And it only adds experience, it doesn't train skills by themselves."

"After all, it is something that is closely related to them. Even if they are not disciplined, they will work hard. The most I can do is to point out the direction. Moreover, if the power of the Star Mark Emblem is really related to the 'Morning Star', then only eleven years have passed. Now, probably no one can tell what the future of the 'Star Mark' will be like. Therefore, they who have grown up together are each other's best teachers."

Bathing seminar, companions who also have star marks, Courteney who will take care of them, Ritas who can answer their questions to a certain extent, and the Bathing Goddess who can occasionally give useful information
By the time the venue for the seminar was repaired, Ritas had methodically provided these girls with star patterns with an impeccable environment that would not lack anything necessary.

"Yes, it's only been eleven years. It would take decades at least for this kind of cross-era power to be fully understood. No, no, no! I know very well that no one can predict the future development trend of 'Star Mark'!"

"."

"What are you talking about!"

Amid the Bathing Goddess's dissatisfaction, Ritas simply cast his gaze towards the direction of Merci and Noah not far away on the other side.

At this time, Noah, who was not seriously exhausted physically and mentally, was leaning on Merci's lap, letting Merci stroke her head.

Although Ritas couldn't explain it, he always felt that there was something wrong between Merci and Noah, his senior schoolmate.

“Although I’m not denying Noah’s role, if there are only vines blocking the way, can we forcibly break through those obstacles without the power of the star pattern?”

In the underground space, Courtline looked up at the vines closest to her, then made a few chopping movements with her hand knife.

"It's not that simple."

Ritas shook his head.
"Those vines regenerate very quickly, and their material is much harder than it looks. Although they are not absolutely indestructible, if a force too great hits them, it will definitely cause the passage to collapse."

Ritas said this, but he actually felt uncomfortable with those vines.

At least, if he wanted to get through the protection of these vines, he could always think of a way. They were far from the point where "the power of the star pattern must be used" to solve them.

However, this may be because when he saw the vines protecting the wall, the "fruit of life" had already been taken away by John. The power of the vines before might be stronger.

Compared to the state of the vines, what puzzled Ritas the most was indeed John's source of information.

How did he know that those vines needed a specific star pattern power to unlock them? And how did he know that that specific power happened to be in Noah? Even though many things can be found in records, legends, and the like, there are still some parts that cannot be explained.

And, John apparently knew more than just Noah's "just happened."

such as
"So, there is only this one door at the end of this underground passage?"

Just as the Bathing Goddess said, in the vast space under the academy, the only place worth noting is a huge door that seems to be worthy of a large castle fortress.

"Can't this door be opened?"

Courtline was also curious.

"It can't be opened, or it's meaningless even if it is opened."

Looking at Courteney who rolled up her sleeves and seemed eager to try brute force, Ritas added,
"As for the reason, you can find out if you go around and take a look behind the door."

"Go around the door? What do you mean? Can you go around it?"

Courteney walked towards the huge door in confusion.

But when she got closer, she found that her perception of the door and its overly huge shape gave her some visual illusions.

The huge door was not close to the wall.

It was a simple door, about ten steps away from the wall, standing tall and without any connection to anything on either side.

".Is this some kind of prank? They deliberately put something confusing here. It's so hard, what material is it made of?"

Courtline was speechless and slammed the door frame hard with her hand.

The solid feeling coming from the door, and the fact that it was much larger and taller than she had imagined after approaching it, made Courteney realize that her previous idea of breaking the door with brute force was definitely not feasible.

"If this is a prank, it's too big a scale."

This was the second time that Ritas came to this cave and the second time that he looked at the huge door. He was still unclear about the purpose and significance of this door.

Even if a huge fortress was destroyed, if someone wanted to preserve its fire as much as possible, it would be impossible for them to just remove a door and hide it carefully.

And precisely because this space is really empty, with only a pure "door" that is puzzling, Ritas's inner confusion during his previous exploration also increased.

Since there is only a door here, where does the "terrorist disaster" instructed by John get the "fruit of life" from?

Could it be that the fruit of life had been in this space with the door before?

However, the fruit of life, which had consumed most of its energy, was still endlessly emitting powerful vitality to the surroundings, causing countless flowers and plants to bloom beside it. When the fruit of life was full of power, shouldn't there be a forest here?

When he first came, Ritas didn't figure out a lot of things.

However, the matter between Ginny and Ann gave Ritas some clues.

There might be a hidden passage in this space, but he just didn't find it before. And whether it was the "terrorist disaster" at that time or Ginny and Ann, they all entered deeper through that hidden passage.

Thinking of this, Ritas took out the map of the academy that he had measured and drawn himself, and began to write and draw on the map with a pen.

He estimated where he was, connected with the abandoned house where Ginny appeared, and found his direction.

At the target location, Ritas knocked on the empty wall for a while, and then
Nothing was found.

"Strange. The passageway during descent is more tortuous than I felt. Or, the entrance to the passageway is higher up."

Ritas raised his head and looked at the endless wall, feeling a headache.

"Xiao Li Xiao Li, come on! Take me to the door so I can take a look. I feel like that door looks familiar, and I can walk through walls!"

"Then why don't you go through the wall and help me find where the hidden passage is."

As Ritas spoke, he sighed softly, thinking that there was no need to rush, so he carried the disc and walked towards the door.

"Hmm. The more I look at it, the more I feel like I've seen it somewhere before. Oh, it's just scenery. Who can remember things in the background like scenery? But it's strange that I have an impression of something that I obviously can't remember. It should be very special and iconic, eh? Ah! Ah! I remember it now!"

On the short road, the goddess of bathing thought hard for a while, and this time she actually came up with something.

"This is that door! The door to the hidden maze in the second round! Wow, it's been stuck in my head for so long. What's the name of that maze? Uh, World Tree Maze! Yes, it's the 'World Tree Maze'!"

"World Tree Labyrinth?"

After hearing the name "World Tree Labyrinth", for some reason, Ritas had a strong sense of foreboding.

Sometimes Ritas's premonitions are very accurate, but sometimes they are just pure fantasy.

And the times when it was accurate were mostly the moments when he felt that something ominous was "close at hand".

Ritas is an excellent wizard, so he can clearly feel the feedback from the fixed magic particles around him.

In other words, many times the "ominous" things that seem so close at hand are actually the magic particles expressing their uneasiness to Ritas, reminding him that he is facing the unknown.

Sure enough, at this moment, it was too late for Ritas to retreat.

Suddenly, the white disc in Ritas's hand expanded to the surrounding area, and then a strong light suddenly burst out from the inside of the disc.

The strong light shone on the ancient door, and those things on the door that were originally difficult to distinguish whether they were scars or lines, seemed to be activated and also emitted light.

bang
The huge door that had been sleeping for who knows how long beneath Earls College began to burst open.

However, the inside of the door was not the wall that should be behind the door, which was only ten steps away, but a strange space emitting colorful light.

As the door opened, the white disc in Ritas's hand began to shake violently, accompanied by the screams of the Bathing Goddess.

The next moment, the disc seemed to be flying directly into the door, but Ritas quickly grabbed the disc that was about to fly away.

The attraction emitted by the disc or the door was far beyond Ritas's imagination. He could sense that if he held on to the disc, he would be sucked into the door.

Emergency moment.

"Ritas!" "Professor!"

Courteney and Merci rushed over and hugged Ritas from behind as he was being dragged towards the door.

Ritas, who had never let go, suddenly felt an extremely strong pulling force, which made him unable to resist and flew into the door with Courtline and Merci.

boom!
It was a sound that made Noah, who was standing nearby, feel pain.

Courteney, who had a very strong body, took a while to recover after hitting the door hard.

Except for Courtline who was left outside the door, Ritas, Merci, and the white disc connected to the goddess of bathing, all disappeared into the door that no longer emitted brilliant colors.

(End of this chapter)