From MC's perspective:
Days passed,
After two weeks, I entered the high mountain peak again. As my feet touched the ground. I raised my head to look at the sky.
As usual the high mountain peak has a rainy environment. Looking at the dark clouds, my eyes flickered with a slight glint.
For others the pouring rain might be annoying. But for me it's a blessing. The dark clouds will cause thunder rainstorms.
As a result the lightning element is abundant here. I gripped the black sword and started to cut the weeds along the way.
It will take some time to reach the foot of the mountain. I wish the teleportation point was closer to the high peak mountain.
Walking, I remember the old events. Especially the memories about my first trip here. The sudden appearance of the Red Moon Tower Warriors shocked me at that time.
Sigh~
I released my perception around me. My consciousness quickly covered the area. The giant trees, overgrown bushes, dense vegetation and even small trails. Everything comes under my perception.
Buzz~
All of a sudden, I heard a humming sound. I spotted something in my perception.
"Pseudo Monster?" I uttered in surprise. How long has it been?
Except for the Mountain Liz, I haven't seen any other pseudo monsters so far. The mountain environment is an ideal place for their growth.
Cut~
I swing my sword. The black blade easily cuts the black flying object like a tofu.
Tud~
When the body dropped to the ground. I take a good look at the monster's appearance.
"Blood Mosquito,"I said, looking at the monster corpse. This pseudo monster is well known. It is spotted usually near the energy rich mountains in large quantities.
I walked past the monster corpse and resumed walking.
Time passed,
After a few hours of walking, I reached the foot of the mountain. Seeing the familiar bedrock, a hint of relief flashes in my eyes.
Then using my perception, I checked my surroundings. Seeing that the area is safe and sound.
I sat on the bed rock and started to cultivate the lightning celestial scripture. As I started to run the cultivation method, the rune in my mind started to flicker.
Slowly, I began to feel the purple energy around me. I concentrated on absorbing purple energies. When they got closer to me. I quickly absorbed the purple energy.
When the purple energy entered my body, I guided the energy according to the cultivation method. After circulation the refined essence gathered inside the dantian.
Seeing that I continued the process.
Time passed,
After a few hours, I stopped and looked inside my dantian. As the purple essence reaches the limit, the majestic totem makes the move.
The Totem purifies the refined essence and improves the quality.
Shortly after, the process comes to an end. The majestic totem returns to its usual position.
Then I opened my eyes and exhaled in relief.
Today's cultivation was fruitful. Now it's time to return. I stood up and started going back to the teleportation point.
Time passed,
I reached the teleportation point a few hours later. On my way here, I didn't come across any trouble. After entering inside, I selected the server.
Swish~
The next moment, I disappeared from the spot and appeared back at the Academy's Teleportation Tower.
Then I walk back to my dorm room. For the past two weeks, I have been training hard without going for missions and monster zones.
Not only that, all factions were peaceful lately. None of them had come to challenge me again. Which also gave me time to focus on my training.
After walking inside my room. I hurried to the bath to take a shower.
...
The Giant Tower:
Inside the fortified building, a heavily built middle-aged man is inquiring about an old man. He is none other than the Head of the Giant Tower Academy.
The old man is the elder and chief of the intelligence department.
"So, what now?" The Head asked.
The Sharp Daggers Organization is not answering their call. He even wondered whether they had accepted their request or not.
He had even gone to offer a high grade artifact as a reward.
Standing below, the old man's expression turned ugly. The Sharp Dagger people were not answering him as well.
But he had expected them to listen to the Head. But not even he got the answer.
"Head?"
"I think they didn't accept our mission request," The old man replied with a solemn tone.
But it was a blatant lie. He was not sure himself. If the Sharp Dagger had failed to accomplish the mission, then the head would get angry for sure.
Then he would have to suffer the wrath.
Gulping down the saliva in fear. The old man hoped that the head would believe his words.
"Uh?"
The Giant Tower Head raises his eyebrows in confusion. "Zack Lockwood's mission location was close to Viper City. It's difficult for their spies to operate there. So it's normal that the killer organization was silent," He said to himself.
"Alright then!"
"What's the target doing right now?" He asked.
"The target means...," The old man muttered but he quickly realized that the target was Zack Lockwood.
"Head?"
"The target is staying inside the Academy till now. He never left the place again for a mission," The old man replied.
The Giant Tower Head frowns. He knew earlier, this situation could occur. That's why he wanted to kill that brat Zack Lockwood in the first place.
But now everything was spoiled. Now they have to wait for the next opportunity.
"Alright, you can leave. We will hit him next time," The Giant Tower Head said.
Hearing that old man below sighed in relief. "The head believed my words," He said in his heart. He felt glad that he escaped from angering him.
....
Meanwhile,
The Sharp Daggers:
The leader Vik has been silent for the past two weeks. And there is a good reason for it. In his room, he looked at the call request from the Giant Tower office.
A gloomy glint flashes in his eyes. He had sent three Super Elite Warriors to assassinate Zack Lockwood. But then their soul cards were broken a few hours later.
Looking back at the timing. He feels someone must-have intercepted them or they must have been killed by the target's guardian.
But he never suspected that they had been killed by Zack Lockwood. That thought never came across his mind.
That's why he has been cautious in his next move. The reason he didn't want to reply to Giant Tower was because there was a possibility that they would cancel the mission.
If they do that then his losses would be great. Not only had he lost three powerful subordinates, he could even lose the high grade artifact.
A greedy glint flashes in his eyes thinking about the high grade artifact. The possibility of the target's guardian gives him fear.
"No, I must acquire the high grade artifact," Vik said to himself. A fierce glint flashes in his eyes.
There might be a guardian protecting the target. He is not denying that. But a good plan comes to his mind.
If he sends his men again, there is a possibility that they would get killed again. But what if he goes there in person?
He doesn't think that Zack's guardian is stronger than him. As this thought rose in his heart, he firmly believed that he could accomplish the mission himself.
Then the high grade artifact would be his property.
Imagining, he cracked a wicked grin.
...
Dean office:
Dean Rebecca is looking at the files in her office. The files come from the intelligence department. Ever since Zack Lockwood came back from the mission.
She dispatched several teams to Viper City in search of spies. As a result they caught some small fishes having connections to other academies.
But they didn't find any big evidence. Looking at the reports, she furrowed her beautiful eyebrows. She had expected to see some results.
But the Viper City appears to be fine. Occasionally there were small fishes. But it can't be avoided. Since Viper City is open for business.
It's normal for merchants and warriors from other 5 cities to come here for business. And it's inevitable that these people might have close connections to the academy.
That's why she didn't care about the small fishes. But big fishes are different. They can be spies or assassins from other 5 big academies or there is a slight possibility for killers from other organizations to hide in their Viper City as well.
After closing the files, she sighed to herself.
She has a vague feeling that her direction of investigation is wrong. She thought the enemies were hiding in Viper City.
But in the end nothing concrete came up. Even the faces of the three dead Super Elite Warriors don't match up with the Viper City's database.
So three of the dead Super Elite Warriors are outsiders. There is a way where she can find their identities. But to do that it would involve some price.
A quick glint flashes in her eyes.