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Even with tenfold comprehension, these were the only insights gained, leaving Dean Bruce deeply impressed. The talent of the Michelle sisters was extraordinary—just grasping these concepts was enough for them to learn the magic he had described in a somewhat haphazard manner. It was almost beyond belief.

Reflecting on how no other student at the academy had been able to comprehend or learn any magic from his teachings, Dean Bruce came to a conclusion: perhaps only geniuses, or those with an unconventional way of thinking, could glean magic from his rather dubious instructions.

[That settles it. There\'s no point wasting time on ordinary students. I need to focus on recruiting more talented or uniquely-minded disciples! Ah, the path to power and collecting Supreme Mage points is long and arduous indeed.]

With these thoughts in mind, Dean Bruce turned his attention to examining the effects of the Red Sun Fruit.

Though Alita Miller\'s claims were based on books, Dean Bruce wasn\'t inclined to trust them completely—especially since these fruits came from the Red Sun Sacred Tree, which would likely make them far more potent than any descriptions found in texts.

[Red Sun Fruit · Sacred]

[Upon consumption, the user\'s affinity with fire elements is permanently and slightly increased. Fire-element spells will also be somewhat more effective, and the user will gain a slight immunity to fire-elemental damage.]

[There is a chance that consuming the fruit will grant the user a unique power that could lead to a breakthrough to the Saint level.]

[No specific percentages or values? I guess that \'slight increase\' must refer to a random boost within a small range. Individually, the effects might seem minor, but consuming multiple fruits should provide a significant cumulative benefit. Let\'s give it a try!]

Without any hesitation, Dean Bruce used the system to consume one Red Sun Fruit · Sacred.

A warm sensation spread through his mouth. Before he even had a chance to swallow, the fruit seemed to liquefy, sliding down his throat. The intense heat coursed through his muscles and veins, reaching his limbs and causing his eyes to flush with a deep red glow.

"Ding!"

"System Alert: Congratulations, Host, on consuming a Red Sun Fruit · Sacred. Your affinity with fire elements has permanently increased by 3 points. The effectiveness of your fire-element spells has permanently increased by 0.12%, and your resistance to fire-elemental damage has permanently increased by 0.16%.

For the next 24 hours, the host is in the digestion period for the Red Sun Fruit · Sacred and cannot consume another one during this time!"

Seeing the system notification, Dean Bruce nodded slightly. His guess was correct—the enhancement values were small and random. However, as long as he waited more than 24 hours, he could consume the Red Sun Fruit · Sacred without any limits.

In theory, if he consumed enough of these fruits, the cumulative effect would be incredibly powerful.

Unfortunately, the first Red Sun Fruit · Sacred hadn\'t bestowed upon him the unique power needed to ascend to the Saint level.

Having reviewed all the rewards, Dean Bruce didn\'t feel like engaging with Alita Miller and the others. Instead, he closed his eyes and silently awaited the arrival of night.

Time passed slowly, and the herbs Dean Bruce had consumed earlier were gradually digested, enhancing his physique and mana.

As the sun set and the moon rose, Alita Miller, Horton Martin, and the others all opened their eyes almost simultaneously.

Ace\'s eyes in particular gleamed with a strange green light, giving him an eerie appearance.

Sensing the change in everyone\'s breathing, Dean Bruce opened his eyes as well. He heard a voice in his ear, "Prepare to move out. Be ready for battle. If they dare to refuse, strike first and seize the advantage!"

Alita Miller then gave her orders, "Ace, lead the way!"

"Got it!" Ace grinned, twisting his neck like an animal, his body leaning forward slightly. His speed had increased noticeably compared to the daytime.

Noticing this, Dean Bruce frowned in surprise.

Alita Miller, swaying her hips as she walked over to Dean Bruce, chuckled softly. "He has a trace of bat blood in him for some reason. As a result, he undergoes some changes at night, and his strength increases."

"Amazing," Dean Bruce muttered, once again struck by the uniqueness of Meze. In the modern era, no one would possess animal bloodlines.

The group of about twenty set off with a powerful momentum, intimidating other instructors who had come to participate in the competition, forcing them to keep their distance. Even the nocturnal beasts in the area dared not approach, only watching cautiously from afar.

Ace, who already had a spell for sensing nearby people, became even more sensitive at night. Within just ten minutes, he led the group to a secluded spot.

It was a narrow valley, not very large, with walls covered in tangled vines and overgrown weeds. In the center, however, there was a small pool of water. The moonlight reflected off its surface, making it appear as though the moon itself had been captured within.

Lina Jones, along with a group of more than ten followers from the Temple of Wisdom, knelt respectfully before the pool, chanting softly.

As they arrived at their destination, Horton Martin and the others quickly retreated behind Dean Bruce, their nerves clearly on edge.

Dean Bruce, no longer concealing himself, stepped forward with his group. They were immediately spotted by the Temple of Wisdom followers standing guard at the mouth of the valley.

"Who goes there?" A shout of alarm rang out as the guards raised their spears and swords, alerting Lina Jones and the others, who were in the midst of their ritual. They all opened their eyes and turned to look back.

Dean Bruce smiled and said, "No need to worry. It\'s just me, Dean. There\'s no reason to be so tense."

The Temple of Wisdom followers, recognizing Dean Bruce from the previous battle, felt a mixture of gratitude and anxiety. This operation was meant to be highly secretive—hence why Lina Jones had disguised herself as an instructor to be here.

For a moment, the followers exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of how to proceed.

Lina Jones was momentarily stunned, her eyes darting as she quickly considered how to handle the situation. With a composed smile, she led her people to the entrance of the valley and greeted Dean Bruce with a cheerful tone, "Dean, what brings you here? Hmm? Wasn\'t this competition supposed to be in pairs? Why are you with so many people?"

"And you aren\'t alone, either," Dean Bruce replied with a knowing smile, fully aware that he couldn\'t afford to fall into the trap of having to justify himself. "Seeing the Temple of Wisdom involved, it seems there\'s some valuable treasure about to appear here!"

Lina Jones frowned slightly, unsure of how to respond.

Had it been anyone else, she would have ordered an attack without hesitation. But Dean Bruce was her savior, and in any world, it\'s only natural that people hesitate to harm someone who has saved their life. This put her in a difficult position.

"Why don\'t we work together?" Dean Bruce suggested directly. "My friends here are all quite powerful. I originally planned to leverage their strength to win this competition and secure a spot in the Advanced Magic Academy."

"Since we\'ve stumbled upon some treasure, why not let me have a share? Don\'t worry, in our collaboration, you won\'t be shortchanged. We can tackle any dangers together, and you can decide how to divide the spoils."

As Dean Bruce finished speaking, Horton Martin and Alita Miller couldn\'t help but twitch slightly at the corners of their mouths. They weren\'t fools; it was clear to them that Dean Bruce wasn\'t taking this negotiation seriously. He wasn\'t even attempting to secure any tangible benefits for himself.

Given the situation, they knew they couldn\'t speak up or even glance at Dean Bruce, for fear of giving away their true intentions and raising Lina Jones\'s suspicions.

"What… what are you after, then?" Lina Jones was taken aback, unable to believe what she was hearing.

Dean Bruce smiled and said, "All I\'m asking for is to gather some herbs, materials, and maybe a few rare treasures. In return, I\'ll boost my ranking in the competition. I\'m sure these items don\'t mean much to you, so why not collaborate? It\'s a win-win, right?"

He paused, then nodded, "With our cooperation, the pressure on you will be significantly reduced, and all it\'ll cost you is a few herbs. Are you sure you want to pass up such a favorable deal?"

Dean Bruce wasn\'t interested in profiting from this venture. His collaboration with Alita Miller was more about repaying a favor than securing any spoils. He wasn\'t foolish; in this situation, he had no intention of demanding anything more from Lina Jones. His goal was simply to entice her into agreeing to the cooperation.

What happened once they entered the ruins—whether Alita Miller, Horton Martin, or anyone else would betray Lina Jones—was of no concern to him.

Even if they all ended up dead, Dean Bruce wouldn\'t be emotionally affected. They weren\'t close to him, after all. If anything, he might show a bit of mercy by burying their bodies if he found some valuable items on them, sparing them from becoming wandering spirits.

Sensing Lina Jones\'s hesitation, a figure draped in a white magical robe and wearing a veil over their face stepped forward and whispered, "Your Highness, this ruin was personally divined by His Holiness the Pope. We cannot allow others to enter!"

Hearing this, Dean Bruce sighed inwardly. With someone advising against it, the chances of securing this cooperation seemed to be slipping away.

"..."

But to his surprise, Lina Jones shook her head and spoke firmly, "Dean is my savior; he\'s not just anyone. Besides… all he\'s asking for are some herbs."

Contrary to Dean Bruce\'s expectations, the opposition seemed to have only strengthened Lina Jones\'s resolve. Her expression grew serious as she said in a determined voice, "Alright, I agree to your terms. We\'ll work together!"