Earth's Greatest Magus

Chapter 2338  Slaves

The Oracle's warning had been clear: corrupt handlers were overseeing the exam, and Emery knew without a doubt that the Nephilim were involved. Rather than passively awaiting the ambush, Emery chose to act preemptively. His target was none other than the magus handler assigned to Hall 33, the one likely in league with his enemies.

The day before the exam began, Emery captured the magus handler in secret. For several hours, he painstakingly cast his [Soul Enslavement] spell, breaking the magus's will and unraveling the truth. The handler had indeed been bought by the Nephilim, accepting their bribe to ensure the sabotage of Hall 33.

With his mind fully enslaved, the magus handler would carry out his duties as usual, arousing no suspicion among his peers. He would follow the prearranged plan, stay close to the other handlers, and ensure that the ambush against Hall 33 would proceed as the Nephilim intended.

Everything unfolded according to Emery's design.

When the ambush finally occurred, the enslaved handler watched silently as Hall 33 walked straight into the trap. Meanwhile, he relayed crucial information to Shinta through a telepathic link. Hall 33's actions were not merely about surviving the ambush; the true goal was much bigger: to expose the Nephilim's treachery.

Shinta, fully aware of the intricacies of the plan, played her role to perfection. She provoked the magus handler at just the right moments, taunting him and applying pressure until he finally slipped and revealed the Nephilim's intentions. Once enough evidence was gathered, the magus swooped in, taking decisive action to halt the enemy's plan.

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With the ambushers defeated and their treacherous plot laid bare, the 40 acolytes who had conspired against Hall 33 now found themselves in a grim predicament. They were as good as animals waiting to be slaughtered, their once-gleeful arrogance had turned into silent dread.

"What do we do with them now?" Hardy asked, his voice edged with uncertainty.

Shinta had been waiting for this moment. Her eyes gleamed with malicious satisfaction as she turned to face the captured acolytes. "Why do you think I suggested trapping them in this mountain?" she said, a wicked smile curling at the edges of her lips.

Simply letting them be teleported out of the exam as failures weren't nearly enough punishment in her mind. She had something far more creative—and sinister—planned. With a deliberate motion, she pulled several small vials of poison from her belt, the liquids inside swirling darkly. Without hesitation, she forced each of the 40 acolytes to drink. The poison wasn't lethal, but it was potent enough to induce agonizing pain unless treated daily.

"If you want the antidote," Shinta said, her voice cold and unyielding, "you'll have to earn it."

With a sharp motion, she tossed a set of mining tools onto the stone floor. The metallic clang echoed in the stillness, each acolyte staring in disbelief at what was to come.

Here's a more detailed and polished version of this part:

"You're going to start mining!" Shinta commanded, her words dripping with authority.

The mountain of Titans Rock held a valuable resource: [Necronite], a Tier 4 material renowned for its exceptional durability. It was within the list of the Academy's mission. Each pound of Necronite was worth 10 points, but harvesting it was no easy task. The material was embedded deep within the rock, requiring intense labor to extract even the smallest amounts.

The Nephilim acolytes, still reeling from their defeat and the cruel turn of events, exchanged uneasy glances. Some, however, clung stubbornly to their pride. One particularly defiant noble stepped forward, his chin held high despite the fear lurking in his eyes. "You think you can force us?! We won't be your slaves!" he spat, his voice full of righteous indignation.

Shinta remained unfazed. Her gaze locked onto the rebellious acolyte with chilling precision. "Good," she replied, her lips curling into a dark, dangerous smile. "Thank you for volunteering for the demonstration."

Without hesitation, the poison she had administered took hold. The noble acolyte's face twisted in unimaginable agony as his body convulsed, collapsing to the stone floor in a heap. His screams filled the air, raw and desperate, as the poison ravaged him from the inside out. The chilling sound echoed through the cavern, sending a ripple of terror through the ranks of the remaining prisoners.

The others watched in horror, their defiance crumbling like brittle stone. Pride meant little in the face of such torment, and one by one, their resolve began to falter. They understood now—there would be no escape from this.

Shinta's voice, calm yet laced with malice, sliced through the air. "Thank you for your cooperation... You may start working now," she commanded with a smile.

The remaining acolytes, too terrified to resist, scrambled to grab the mining tools. Their pride shattered, and they began chipping away at the cave walls, desperate to avoid the same fate as their comrades.

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Forty acolytes from the Nephilim and Aryan factions were now under Hall 33's control, forced to work endlessly, mining precious resources for them until the end of the exam.

However, to Hardy's surprise, Shinta let Hall 33 take all the points for themselves.

"Why dont you want any share of the points?!" Hardy asked.

Shinta didn't even hesitate before responding. "No need."

The truth was, that Hall 33 wasn't the only one facing harassment. Since the exam began, the Nephilim from Hall 6 had teamed up with the Aryan faction from Hall 15, working together to block any meaningful progress for the half-bloods acolytes. As a result, Hall 9 had finally given up on competing for a higher position. Instead of continuing a losing battle, they made an alternate choice.

The acolytes of Hall 9 agreed to help Hall 33, pooling their resources and efforts. Together, they hope to give Hall 33 hall chances for advancement. This plan has been discussed before the exam even started and Grand Magus Lucius has agreed.

"How did you convince your instructor to go along with this?" Shinta's lips curled into a confident smirk. "Simple. I told him to help you guys or I wouldn't fight for them in the team battle."

"...."

Grand Magus Lucius had recognized the harsh reality: Hall 9 stood little chance of breaking into the top five for the group exam and had instead put his bet on the group battle. Hence, they were willing to support Hall 33 reach a top ranking in the group exam.

Shinta suggested regrouping with the other half of the Hall 9 acolytes by following them back into the dangerous zone to get more points. With this strategic alliance in mind, Hardy selected two of the Hall 33 acolytes to remain behind, tasking them with overseeing the mining operations. Their presence was crucial to ensure that the forty acolytes, still under the effects of Shinta's poison, could continue working without interruption. The fact that a magus was stationed to guard the area added a layer of security, allowing Hardy to feel confident in leaving the mining operations to them.

"Alright, let's go!" Hardy announced, and all acolytes followed with enthusiasm.

[High Hall Ranking - Day 15/30]

[13th Place: Hall 33 - 44,720 Points]

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