Chapter 124: Gathering and Waiting

Pamela Town was the nearest supply point to the Cotopaxi Volcano. It was also the designated location where visiting apprentices reported for duty.

When Grimm arrived here aboard the slow-moving relay station carriage, it was precisely dinnertime.

Pamela Town—a remote yet not desolate settlement. The town was small, with only a single main street, the kind of place where one could take in the entire town with a single glance from the street corner.

Along both sides of the street stood a dozen or so wooden houses, clearly ordinary residences. Besides these, there was a tavern, a general store, a modest, damp inn, and a population of about a hundred households—this constituted the entirety of the town.

Just as Grimm stepped down from the carriage, a distant, rumbling, thunderous roar emanated from the mountains. This sound was not occasional; it had persisted since Grimm neared the mountainous region. From the outskirts, the rumbling might seem like the muted thunder of a winter wilderness, but upon reaching this town, one could immediately sense the awe-inspiring power of nature.

This was likely the continual subterranean activity of the volcano.

Grimm couldn't help but wonder what compelled the townsfolk to endure life in such a harsh environment year after year.

Though the volcano was nearing its dormant phase, the towering volcanic cone still spewed heavy plumes of smoke and ash from afar. The town lay less than seven miles from the mountain’s foot, perpetually shrouded in a gray haze due to volcanic influence. Both inside and outside the town, thick layers of volcanic ash blanketed the buildings and cobblestone streets.

Inside the small inn, Grimm was met by a senior apprentice named Ivan. Judging by the emblem on his gray robe, Ivan belonged to the local Gubel family. The Cotopaxi Volcano was their family’s resource domain, and outsiders were forbidden to enter the volcano’s interior without their permission.

Seeing that Grimm was only a senior apprentice, Ivan was skeptical and coldly remarked, “Even during the volcano’s dormant phase, the interior isn’t safe. It’s riddled with terrifying streams of scorching air and lava beasts. Are you sure you can survive in there?”

Grimm gave a cold glance around the inn’s lobby, then casually traced a few symbols in the air. A rune of elemental fire ignited and hovered before him. This display immediately drew the attention of others; the six or seven people sitting at wooden tables turned their heads to look.

To be honest, since Grimm had crossed the threshold into the Phoenix Body stage and absorbed the energy of subterranean magma, his nearly two-meter-tall frame was striking. His dark red hair and the fierce, yet restrained aura he exuded made him stand out, projecting an unmistakably formidable presence.

“Oh, so you’re a fire-element apprentice! That explains why the underground environment affects you less. As long as you avoid those annoying lava beasts, you might be able to venture deeper in,” Ivan nodded and handed Grimm a white stone.

This was Grimm’s pass for entering the volcano’s interior in a few days.

“Go mingle with them! Everyone in this hall is an outsider here on a mission. If you form a team, the tasks will be easier,” Ivan said warmly, clearly more enthusiastic after learning Grimm was a fire apprentice.

After nodding in acknowledgment, Grimm slowly moved toward the hall, scanning the unfamiliar faces gathered quietly around the dining tables. Ultimately, he chose to sit alone.

His primary goal for this subterranean expedition was to complete his Phoenix Body transformation, not the rewards of the mission. Thus, he had no intention of forming a team. Upon arrival, he deliberately adopted a cold, unapproachable demeanor to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Wizard apprentices were sharp-minded; Grimm’s clear stance dissuaded anyone from bothering him. Taking advantage of this, he observed everyone else and took stock of the situation.

The inn’s lobby was small and dimly lit, seating about seventeen apprentices. Only two were quasi-wizards; the rest, like Grimm, were senior apprentices. This aligned with the nature of the mission.

Gathering resources within the volcano required enduring extreme conditions and contending with resident elemental creatures like lava beasts and fire spirits. Senior apprentices were the minimum requirement for such tasks.

Grimm was certain that among these senior apprentices, most had a fire-element affinity. The rest, even if not fire-elemental, were undoubtedly confident in their abilities. The scarcity of quasi-wizards was due to the mission’s reliance on luck.

With good fortune, one might find exposed fire diamond mining areas on the volcano’s upper layers after lava receded. But many returned empty-handed after three months, losing their rewards and sometimes even their mission shares.

Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, quasi-wizards avoided testing their luck in the volcano’s depths.

After assessing the apprentices’ profiles, Grimm quickly filled his stomach and retreated to his room, not venturing out again. He had arrived early, with five days remaining before the volcano entered dormancy. During this time, he did not leave his quarters, having meals brought directly to him.

He devoted these idle days to studying flame barriers. He felt this defensive magic best complemented his Phoenix Body. Mastery of it could forge a protective flame similar to that of an Abyssal Fire Demon. Any attacker would first suffer continuous fire damage, perfectly matching Grimm’s preference for striking unseen.

During this period, two or three apprentices tried to recruit him into their exploration teams, but Grimm politely declined. Consequently, all senior apprentices preparing for the subterranean expedition knew this lone figure intended to go solo.

Those who reached senior apprentice status were no fools. They understood anyone daring such a feat must be supremely confident, so no one spoke ill. Still, many secretly awaited Grimm’s downfall.

Soon, the awaited day arrived.

The persistent rumbling finally ceased.

The towering gray smoke column that streaked across the sky began to dissipate. The daily falling ash lessened until it stopped entirely.

Grimm, quietly reading in his room, sensed the change outside. He opened the wooden window facing the street, surveyed the scene, packed his belongings swiftly, and left his room.

Many apprentices had similarly prepared and gathered in the inn’s hallway, exchanging nods before assembling in the lobby.

Ivan, the team leader, was already waiting.

After another fifteen minutes, all twenty mission apprentices had arrived. They moved out in single file, following Ivan toward the volcano’s base.

The seven or eight-mile journey was little for them, and in less than a quarter hour, they reached a natural stone cavern halfway up the volcanic cone. Two quasi-wizards from the Gubel family awaited there. After verifying each person’s pass, they allowed them entry.

The cavern was small—just over twenty pings in area—filled with jagged rock spires and limestone. It appeared to be a lava channel leading deep into the volcano. No moss or lichen grew here; the rock walls were riddled with massive cracks and deep fissures, from which jets of scorching air spewed, capable of instantaneously cooking a person.

Perhaps the magma had recently receded, for the ground remained scorching hot, and a pungent sulfurous odor pervaded the tunnel. Without special protection, an ordinary person would succumb to the fiery toxins in the air within half an hour, their lungs and airways turning into bloody sacs.

But such conditions were no challenge for these apprentices. Each was enveloped in colorful protective shields, isolating them from the hostile environment.

Grimm concealed his Phoenix Body, instead casting a high-temperature force field upon himself.

He surveyed the group: eight apprentices, including himself, had fire-element defenses—almost half of the twenty. The remainder wielded earth or wind elements; none were water-elemental. Presumably, those with water affinity avoided this environment, unwilling to suffer.

Compared to other elements, water magic was severely hindered here—both in element gathering and spell potency, diminished by seventy percent. Anyone with sense would not seek torment here.

At this point, everyone focused on their own affairs.

Several apprentices who had teamed up clustered together, with fire-element apprentices collectively strengthening their elemental shields before silently entering the tunnel.

The residual heat lingered inside, and the narrow passage was perilous; sudden bursts of scorching air could be deadly even to senior apprentices.

Therefore, the group exchanged words of caution before dispersing in small groups into different tunnels, vanishing into the depths.

Grimm noticed that the Gubel family’s apprentices did not accompany the outsiders into the tunnels. They were more familiar with the terrain and had more convenient routes, not relying on luck like the newcomers.

Shaking his head with a sigh, Grimm bent forward and slipped into a lava channel himself.