So I Became a Witch and Started Doing Daily Quests

Chapter 144: The Bone Sage

As a gust of dark wind swept through, pale flames surged outward from the center where Anthony-Rook stood, spreading rapidly like a tide.

Seeing this, the apprentices, witnessing the headmaster casting a spell up close for the first time, couldn't help but stir in excitement and awe.

However, as the flames thoroughly enveloped everyone, there was no imagined heat.

The spell array formed by the pale flames felt instead especially frigid.

“In crossing the Death Realm, I advise you not to step outside this array. Otherwise, if you're seized by the undead along the way, you'll have to find your own way back.”

What did that mean?

Before everyone could fully comprehend the headmaster’s words, the pale flames suddenly surged higher.

As if day and night had reversed, the once colorful world was instantly drained to black and white.

Hoo—cold, desolate, boundless.

With the chilling wind sweeping toward them, scene after scene of grayish alien landscapes unfurled like layered scrolls. The apprentices, overwhelmed and dazed, instinctively held their breath.

After a brief moment of shock, Janna, possessing excellent Summoning Wizard aptitude, seized the rare opportunity and activated the talent 【Spirit Phase Travel】.

“Coordinates, anchor—”

In the blink of an eye, Janna swiftly completed coordinate marking of the Death Realm without anyone else noticing.

“Listen up. This ‘Three-School Joint Examination’ may be an individual battle, but it is also a contest between academies.

You must unite against external threats! No infighting! I don’t care what styles those other two academies follow—but you must work together. Don’t even think about going solo to challenge those Black Wizard Apprentices—”

Upon hearing Anthony-Rook’s words, the White Coral apprentices—who had already dealt with the other two academies—naturally understood the underlying message.

As much as they disliked admitting it, in terms of individual combat power, the White Wizard Apprentices had always been inferior to the Black Wizard Apprentices.

After all, every field has its specialty. Different elemental magical particles have their own focus. Particularly in this dark-attribute-dominant Misty Forest, apprentices adept at hiding, assassinating, cursing, and detoxifying had an innate advantage.

Of course, aside from elemental superiority, the difference in educational philosophy also led to fundamental differences in the mindset and cultivation of students across the three academies.

White Coral Academy, though a mixed school of White and Black Wizard Apprentices, mainly focused on basic coursework and research for lower-level apprentices.

Task assignments were not strictly enforced.

In contrast, Blackbone Grove and Mist Tower academies had most of their students leaning toward dark attributes.

Even apprentices initially possessing elemental talents like 【Flame】 and 【Frost】 began to shift toward talents like 【Will-o'-the-Wisp】 and 【Poison Frost】 due to prolonged exposure to dark particles.

Moreover, both academies endorsed the philosophy of “truth through practice.”

Their primary training method was to force apprentices to complete various field tasks.

Coursework-wise, only “Defense Against Dark Magic” and “Basic Spellcasting” were mandatory.

Subjects like “Ancient Magic History” and “Elvish Language” were electives and didn’t count toward final grades.

In such a “wild growth” and “competition-driven” environment, Black Wizard Apprentices naturally outperformed White Wizard Apprentices in field operations.

It was precisely because of this weakness that Anthony-Rook proactively reminded his students—to maximize the White Wizard Apprentices' greatest strength: teamwork.

In the eyes of Black Wizard Apprentices, everyone was a rival.

The weak were unworthy of companionship and merely resources for the strong.

But the White Wizard Apprentices advocated: use every available advantage (numerical superiority), and never act foolishly alone (form groups). If they could overwhelm the few with the many, they would never isolate themselves!

“Lastly, let me say this—if our academy’s total score surpasses the other two academies in the top ten rankings,

Then, I will personally reward you in the name of the White Coral Academy’s headmaster!”

Upon hearing Anthony-Rook’s final words, Janna understood that the White Coral Academy had completely given up on competing for individual rankings. Instead, they aimed to secure as many spots in the top ten as possible.

First place was certainly important, but to truly assess an academy’s overall strength, total rankings spoke louder.

Even if students from the other two academies claimed first place in this “Three-School Joint Examination,” a solitary top rank couldn't compare to having half of the top ten filled with White Coral students.

After all, the White Tower Trials of Dordogne tested not just the personal level and dueling capability of Wizard Apprentices.

Wizardry knowledge, research results, understanding of laws, teamwork ability, and individual qualities all played key roles. And it was precisely these categories that the White Coral Academy aimed to dominate.

“Hoo—”

As the pale flames gradually ascended, color slowly returned to the black-and-white world. In the blink of an eye, the flames receded, and the group—who had just been traversing the Death Realm—suddenly found themselves standing atop a silver-white lake surrounded by endless skeletal coral.

“Splash—”

Perhaps the abrupt change in scenery was too much, especially when a few apprentices saw the waters below them. Those who didn’t react in time stumbled into the lake.

“This is a Gravity Domain. Only the dead will sink—so relax.”

As Anthony-Rook said, the apprentices who had fallen into the lake didn’t sink. Instead, their entire bodies floated on the surface, their clothes completely dry.

“Anthony, it’s been a while.”

Splash—

As a deep male voice sounded, a white coral tree nearly as tall as a person suddenly sprouted from the lake.

With each segment of bone snapping, a pale-skinned man—appearing to suffer from albinism—slowly emerged from the coral tree.

“It’s been a while, Gushan.”

Hearing Anthony-Rook address the man, Janna's gaze sharpened.

“So, he’s the former headmaster of Blackbone Grove—”

Hearing Vivian’s telepathic message, Janna slightly nodded.

Gushan-Ruff, known as the “Bone Sage,” was a First Tier Wizard with an A-level unknown talent, extremely skilled in “Bone Witchcraft.” Janna speculated that the laws he mastered were likely bone-related.

“Little Grace, little Mary, hello there.