The villainous young master just wants to live a Buddhist-like life.

　“I’ll go,” Dark sighed.

　……

Chapter 758

　The professors clearly intended to give the students "experience" and wanted them to take on challenges.

　But Dark couldn't possibly let Aurora go, and given Witt's current condition, he wasn't too comfortable with him either, so he had to come himself.

　How much experience could a mere salon possibly provide for him?

　Professor Jones frowned, but he was too lazy to think about it... Let it be!

　Therefore, the professors didn't pay much attention when Dak got up by the campfire.

　Only the adventurers and caravan members remained uncertain.

　At that time, the caravan members were still puzzled by their identities, and the adventurers were extremely wary. The appearance of Sharon was an unexpected surprise. It was even more unbelievable that a boy who looked like a student would suddenly stand up and declare that he would deal with Sharon.

　The adventurers were of good heart. Seeing that the group of academics seemed to be really going to let the young student face the salon alone, they didn't have time to worry about the Black Sand Merchant Guild anymore and hurriedly spoke up to stop them.

　“That’s a salon!” Even the scarred man Congreve, who looked fierce, exclaimed in surprise.

　Daniel was even more worried that the people in the academy were just talking theory and did not know how powerful Sharon was, so he quickly said, "Sharon has dragon blood, and he is especially powerful in this sandy area. Ordinary dragons are no match for him and can be swallowed up if they are not careful."

　“Mr. Daniel, I recognize this salon,” Dark said with a faint smile, showing a goodwill towards the adventurer who had offered the reminder.

　Although this adventurer failed to kill a single enemy in three battles, he at least had the courage to go to the battlefield to defend his country, which is commendable.

　However, after leaving the campfire, Dak became slightly worried again.

　The Sand Dragon is a Ground/Dragon-type sub-dragon, with attack and defense capabilities roughly equivalent to a strong six-star Magical Spirit. However, real magical beasts have far greater total vitality and magical energy than Magical Spirits.

　In fact, the biggest weakness of magical spirits is their "low HP". That's why in magical duels, there are instances where a single ultimate move can instantly kill a magical spirit of equal strength.

　When a mage summons a magical spirit, it usually requires multiple magical spirits to fight in turn, or other magical cards to assist in successfully killing a monster of the same level.

　Furthermore, the monsters in the St. Marian dungeon are generated from the dungeon's magic. Therefore, they share a weakness similar to that of magical spirits. Only the dungeon's bosses and elite monsters have overcome this weakness and possess relatively long health bars.

　In terms of vitality:

　Dungeon Bosses > Elite Monsters ≈ Real Warcraft > Magical Spirits

　Therefore, junior mages graduating from St. Mary's Academy often experience some difficulties adapting when facing magical beasts for the first time.

　But that's not what Dark was thinking.

　He was wondering whether he should simply summon the magical spirit to fight the enemy, or use the longsword hanging at his waist to show some of the demeanor of the "Son of the Valkyrie".

　"BOOM!"

　As he approached one of the dragons, the dragon, which was rushing down from beneath the ground, crashed into the wind barrier set up by Professor Sylph, causing the barrier to shake violently.

　As the impact rang out, the ground caved in, forming a vortex, and the sand dragon burst out of the ground, roaring at the nearest flying dragon.

　Those in the camp finally got a clear look at the entire salon.

　"Is this the salon?" Witt's pupils dilated, his heart filled with shock.

　Young mages who are used to magical spirits often find it difficult to adapt to the huge differences between magical beasts and magical spirits when they first encounter powerful magical beasts.

　The salamander had an extremely long body, as thick and fat as a roller, a huge cone-shaped head, thick transparent eyelids above its eyes, a short and thick neck with layers of wrinkles, four limbs on both sides that had degenerated into fins, a row of blade-like spine plates on its spine, and its body was covered with scars.

　It opened its blood-red maw wide, revealing a dense array of fine teeth; if bitten, one would surely be ground to dust.

　When it stands upright, it is even twice the size of a flying dragon, and its gaping maw could probably swallow a flying dragon whole.

　Perhaps it sensed the presence of the dragon and came to hunt it!

　"Roar!"

　The roar of the sand radiated across the black soil plain, forcing back countless grains of sand and creating ripples.

　A huge bubble-like substance swelled up from its abdomen, rushed out of its throat, and was suddenly expelled.

　The dark green slime splattered onto the wind barrier, corroding it and creating a huge gap.

　The stench of the salon immediately seeped in.

　Dark flicked his finger, and two magic cards flew out of his card pack and nestled between his fingers.

　After a moment's hesitation, he still chose the orthodox combat methods of the archmage.

　The reason is simple: that salon... just stinks!

　"Ground and dragon breath? I choose you, Eevee."

　He emerged from between the two dragons, a summoning circle already glowing beneath his feet.

　The adorable "Eevee: Monster Hunter" that's so cute it makes you want to commit a crime emerged from the summoning light.

　……

　"It's a Archmage!"

　The adventurers and caravan members around the campfire had calmed down.

　The silence among the faculty and students made them realize a possibility.

　They may have encountered a trial team from a magic academy...

　As times change and new professions emerge, old ones do not disappear entirely.

　The term "magician" simply replaced "sorcerer" as another synonym for rare and powerful.

　While magicians have stepped down from the most cutting-edge stage, their enduring historical legacy still makes them more widely known than archmages.

　However, what an academic mage learns in ten years is often less than what a mage learns in one year.

　Those living in the capital city, surrounded by numerous academies, might hardly notice. But once they leave the capital, they'll find that there are very few mages traveling outside.

　An adventure party is considered extremely lucky to have a mage join them.

　As for archmages, they wouldn't even dare to dream of it.

　They can mostly only see the Archmage in the Duel Arena.

　Magic academies are extremely rare.

　However, people know more about archmages than magicians.

　It's because you can see mages in the dueling arena.

　Marilyn turned to look at the "Magical Beast: Eevee" walking beside Dark, but couldn't help thinking, "The Archmage is powerful, but that Magical Pokémon's level shouldn't be very high, right?"

　"What is he planning to do? Is he going to summon a low-level magical spirit as a sacrifice?"

　Among this group, she held the highest position, was the wealthiest, and had watched the most magic duels, so naturally she knew more about magicians than the others.

　Those who only have a superficial understanding of mages often confuse mages with summoners and can never understand the mages' intention to summon weak spirits.

　The "Fantastic Beast: Eevee" summoned by Dark looks more like a pet meant to be used as a body pillow.

　How could such a magical spirit possibly stand against the Sands?

　The power that salon can wield in the current environment is terrifying.

　The reason why adventurers risk their lives to seek refuge is largely to escape this nocturnal sands!

　The twelve adventurers, even at the cost of their lives, could barely hold off a single sand dragon. If a new monster were attracted during the battle, they risked total annihilation.

　But the adventurers did not expose their ignorance like the supporting characters in biographical novels.

　They buried their doubts deep in their hearts and watched the boy's back with bated breath.

　"Perhaps it really could work?"

　Such thoughts arose spontaneously from the bottom of their hearts.

　……

　"In the name of Dark Demon, a magical summoning—'Greed III'!"

　Blue-purple light poured down, and "Eevee: Monster Hunter" gradually glowed as it moved forward.

　By the time Dark escaped the encirclement of the flying dragons, it had evolved into the ice-blue "Gladiator"!

　Ice-type is effective against Ground-type.

　Ice type is effective against Dragon type.

　A Ground/Dragon type Sand Dragon is nothing more than a lamb to the slaughter in front of an Ice type Magical Pokémon.

　"Glaceon, hail."

　"Bah!"

　Although "Gladiator" says "I don't want to," its actions are very honest.

　It stopped not far in front of Dark, gracefully raising its neck, the radiance of ice element emanating from its body, converging layer by layer towards its head, and then shooting straight into the sky.

　In the blink of an eye, a beam of ice-blue light appeared in the already pitch-black night sky.

　The beam of light suddenly spread outwards, turning the already frigid night into something resembling the Arctic.

　Hailstones, reflecting starlight, appeared one after another from the void, and then more and more appeared.

　"Roar--"

　Salon roared in extreme discomfort, and the black soil and gravel beneath him suddenly floated up under his control, shooting out after only a brief moment of charging.

　"Mirror emission".

　Dark gave the order with remarkable composure.

　Compared to the high-stakes magic duels where every second counts, this battle pace isn't particularly fast.

　Even with concerns about his own safety, he was able to respond promptly.

　"Ee-boo!"

　The eyes of "Gladiator" suddenly lit up, and ice elements rapidly gathered, forming a huge ice mirror around it.

　Ultimate move – "Mirror Reflection"!

　Countless grains of sand bombarded the ice mirror, and the black dust almost completely engulfed Dark and Glaceon's figures.

　Saloon suddenly tilted its head back and let out an excited roar. With a leap, it rushed into the sandstorm, its huge mouth snapping at the "Magical Beast: Ice Eevee" that was buried in the sandstorm.

　"call--"

　The wind reversed in that instant.

　The sandstorm changed direction, and after an abrupt pause, the sand and gravel suddenly shot backward.

　A whistling sound swept in, and countless amounts of ground elements churned and surged into the sand and dust.

　"mum!"

　"Gladiator" let out a clear cry.

　Two seconds after the massive body of the sand dune plunged into the dust, it was suddenly launched out.

　The sandstorm, twice as powerful, pierced through its thick scales layer by layer, while hailstones falling from the sky continuously stripped it of its vitality.

　"It's time, Frozen Beam."

　Dark Dimon's voice broke through the dust.

　A thick, icy blue beam of light pierced through the swirling dust and struck the flying sand dragon with pinpoint accuracy.

　In "Hail", the power of ice-type special moves is increased by 50%, and the freezing probability of "Frozen Beam" is doubled.

　The Sands is doubly countered by Ice-type attacks, making Ice-type special moves particularly effective against it.

　Without any suspense, the surface of its body, which was hit by the "freezing beam," instantly froze. The ice spread rapidly, covering its entire body and penetrating its interior in the blink of an eye.

　The enormous, terrifying salon was frozen into an ice sculpture amidst the hail and black sand.

　The night was as still as water, and the light shone on it, reflecting magnificent colors.

　……

　Upon seeing this, Daniel and the others' expressions instantly tightened.

　The salon they were trying to avoid was resolved so easily.