Chương 282: Chapter 280 – Thorn Rift.

"This smell... It's so intense." Astrella commented as she stepped through the rift gate. Rusty stood nearby, incapable of smelling the suffocating scent of the roses, but it was obvious that the summoners disliked it. The knight trainees, on the other hand, seemed perfectly fine, likely because they were already accustomed to this place, which was known as the Thorny Rift.

"It's going to take some time for your senses to get used to this place. Either bear with it or use defensive magic." Quinten was already on the other side and offered the young summoners some advice. As soon as he finished speaking, several of them cast spells that surrounded their bodies with a thin veil of mana. It resembled a translucent membrane of energy, and once enclosed within it, the overpowering smell and the pollen drifting through the air seemed to disappear.

Gwen quickly followed suit, whispering a short incantation that enveloped her in a soft protective glow. Astrella, on the other hand, had her fairies cast the spell for her, creating a greenish veil around her body. Syber appeared to be the most affected by the smell. He covered his mouth with one hand and, while trying to cast his spell, sneezed several times, causing Astrella to point at him and laugh.

"This place looks... already occupied. Is it normal for other humanoids to spend time in these rifts?" Rusty ignored the young summoners and instead looked out across the vast expanse of the Thorny Rift. Before him stretched towering hedges covered in blooming roses, but there were also proper walls and watchtowers similar to the ones he had seen inside the containment area they had just left.

The structures here also appeared to be in good condition and had clearly been built after the Rose Knight Academy was established.

"Yes, Rusty. It's because of the rifts. They're much more stable than regular gates, so building fortifications and even entire settlements inside them is possible." Gwen explained as their group moved into another large open courtyard. The rift gate they had come through stood atop an elevated platform, with a broad staircase leading down into a fortified military outpost. Armed soldiers wearing polished breastplates patrolled the walls above, their crossbows aimed toward the maze of thorns beyond the perimeter.

"Are those all of them?" A seasoned knight captain wearing a crimson cape stood near the bottom of the platform stairs, holding a clipboard. He looked over the group of summoned creatures, including Rusty, with an unimpressed expression in his lone eye.

"Indeed, Captain. They are the young summoners from Mystwood. Remember to treat them well." Knight Major Philibert approached the captain. Rusty was not entirely sure why, but the man seemed to dislike the summoners gathered here. Perhaps he simply wore a permanent frown. Either way, Rusty paid him little attention and immediately began surveying their surroundings.

"No one will probably try to ambush us near this stronghold, but once we head into that strange maze, we need to be careful."

"It's fine, Rusty. Nothing bad will happen!" Astrella once again brushed aside his concerns. Ever since he had realized that working as a group was the better option, he had constantly warned everyone about possible dangers, a habit that was beginning to annoy some members of their party.

"We can never know. I saw strange beings wandering around…" From his previous elevated position, he had been able to glance at their surroundings. It was a vast open space with no end in sight. Surrounding them was a massive maze of strangely well-trimmed hedges. He had also noticed creatures wandering within, but he had not been able to get a good look at them.

"Guests from the Mystwood Academy, may I have your attention?" As he was lost in thought, Philibert addressed the crowd. Most of the students turned to look at him, but some, such as those from A-Class, seemed uninterested in what he had to say.

"Let me introduce Captain Geraldus. He has spent a great deal of time within this rift, so listen carefully to his advice, as it might save your life." Some of the youths immediately focused their attention on the gruff-looking knight. Geraldus stepped forward, clearing his throat with a rough cough. His single eye swept across the crowd, lingering for a moment on Katherine Grandwell, who was looking elsewhere, before settling on the B1 class students.

"Listen up." Geraldus shouted, his voice carrying easily across the courtyard.

"The Thorny Rift is not a playground. The hedges you see out there are alive. They do not just sit there. They can grow and shift. If you do not pay attention, you will become disoriented and lose your way rather quickly." Rusty listened with great interest. He had explored some dungeons before and had heard of others that could shift around, and this sounded similar. It meant they would need a way to find their way back to the rift exit once they ventured too far away to see it.

Fortunately, the guides provided by the knight academy would handle that.

"If you become lost, remain where you are. Your guides will eventually find you, as long as you are carrying this emblem." The knight captain reached into a wooden box and pulled out what looked like a silver rose emblem.

"Make sure to attach it securely to your body and do not lose it. This is the only way we can track your position within the shifting greenery. As for the dangers of this place, you will mainly encounter Thorny Beasts and Wood Sprites. They are fast, aggressive, and highly resistant to piercing and blunt attacks. Use slashing weapons against them, but be careful when using fire magic." Rusty was surprised.

It seemed only natural to fight plant-based monsters with fire, but before anyone could ask, the knight captain explained why that was a bad idea.

"You might be wondering why you should not use flames against these creatures. The answer is simple. Once a fire spreads, the smoke will attract more monsters to your location. Along with them, the most dangerous creatures of all may appear, the Hedge Trimmers." When the knight captain mentioned the Hedge Trimmers, many of the students exchanged puzzled looks. The name did not sound particularly frightening, but he quickly made sure they understood what they were truly dealing with.

"Do not mistake the Hedge Trimmers for simple gardeners. They are far deadlier than any creature you have encountered before, and they will shear you to pieces if they catch you damaging the hedges. They appear as hooded figures with multiple arms, each wielding a different sharp cutting tool. If you see one approaching, remain calm and let it pass. Unless you damage the hedges in front of them, they will remain docile." The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site.

Support the author by reading it there. That was quite the explanation before the dive into the rift, but it seemed that not many of the students had been listening to the warnings. Perhaps they already knew all of this information before arriving.

"Is that all? Then we can finally start, right?" Katherine Grandwell's voice cut through the air the moment the knight captain stopped speaking. It was clear that she did not care about this exercise and was only doing the bare minimum required of her.

"Ugh... I hate that snobby brat!" Astrella complained through their bond magic while the others simply let out quiet sighs without commenting.

"Let's just get through this first. Then you can start complaining." Syber responded as he called forth his tiger beasts. The other students also prepared themselves, and at last they began to move. Each of them received a rose emblem that could easily be fastened to their student uniforms. Once everyone had one, A-Class was the first to head out, while they followed a completely different route. Teachers like Quinten remained behind at the fortified waypoint.

This was still an exercise for the students and a test to see whether they could complete a simple mission without too much supervision from the adults. The heavy metal gates of the outpost groaned as they swung open, revealing the entrance to the labyrinth. The transition from the sterile stone fortress to the lush greenery of the Thorny Rift was unmistakable. Hedges towering more than five meters high lined both sides of the dirt path.

Their branches often intertwined, though occasional gaps allowed glimpses deeper into the maze. The path they followed was wide enough for everyone to move freely. Their objective was to work alongside the knights and eliminate the monsters lurking within the rift, and it did not take long for the first enemy to appear.

"Oh... that's a peculiar-looking monster." Classification: Rose Hound Type: Plant/Beast Description: A Rose Hound is a creature found in environments oversaturated with plant mana and exposed to abundant sunlight. Its body is composed entirely of densely twisted vines and razor-sharp thorns, shaped into the menacing silhouette of a hunting dog. Vibrant red roses bloom along its spine and joints, serving as sensory organs capable of detecting even the slightest vibration in the air.

Beware its thorns, as they contain a paralytic sap that numbs the muscles of its prey. To defeat it, target the green core within its chest cavity. Otherwise, its body will continue to regenerate. The creature crouched low to the ground, its hollow chest cavity glowing with a faint green light that pulsed like a heartbeat. Instead of growling, it made a sound like rustling leaves through its dog-like mouth.

Its teeth resembled oversized rose thorns, each one dripping with the paralytic sap mentioned in the description.

"That dog looks funny... is it made of salad?" Astrella muttered, and Aranea let out a quiet chuckle at the comment.

"Milady, allow me to protect you!" Just as the group prepared to attack, one of the knights who had come to prove himself to Aranea stepped forward. He was not alone. Every trainee who had come to impress the noble summoners advanced in a shielded formation that had clearly been practiced beforehand. The monster charged, only to slam into a wall of shields before being cut down by a flurry of sword strikes.

The Rose Hound's vine-like limbs thrashed wildly as blades carved through its core, spraying green sap across the cobblestone path. The vibrant red petals along its spine wilted within seconds, and the pulsing green light inside its chest flickered out until nothing remained but a heap of withered plant matter.

"Oh..." The sight was impressive, but the spectators had no time to relax. Just as the knights turned to flash confident smiles at the noble ladies and lords, more monsters burst from between the hedges. Luckily for the trainee knights, they were not alone. Just as another hound sprang toward one of them, a halberd flew through the air and slammed into the creature, knocking it back into a hedge that seemed as solid as a tree trunk.

"Try not to space out, human." Rusty said, though the knight could not hear him. Moments later, a new battle unfolded. The knight scrambled to his feet, his face flushing crimson as he realized how close he had come to being paralyzed by the beast. Without saying a word, he returned to a defensive stance.

'They aren't that bad compared to some other humanoids.' Even though some of them made mistakes, they corrected themselves quickly and took the battle more seriously. The monsters were on the weaker end of D rank, perhaps even E rank. They were easily cut down by the knights and could not break through their defensive formation to reach the backline. The summoners had little to do during the opening clash, but Astrella, who could provide buffs and even healing, remained busy.

Her fairies flew around the battlefield, strengthening the trainee knights while also dispersing the airborne poison released by some of the other creatures. Besides the Rose Hounds, they also encountered large stationary carnivorous plants that resembled enormous roses. Their mouths lay hidden within the flowers, and long vines lashed out at anyone who ventured too close. The knights held the front line beautifully, cutting through the plant tendrils while the summoners finally found their rhythm.

Aldric's golem moved to the front of the formation and took its place as the main vanguard while the other knights supported it from the sides. Rusty, on the other hand, stayed in the back with Gwen, dealing with any surprise attacks alongside Syber. Aranea remained in the middle but had little to do since the monsters could not break through their defenses.

"This isn't so bad. It's much better than those stuffy void gates." Astrella commented as they strode forward with little getting in their way.

"That's true, and the sky is quite pretty too. It feels like we're out on a picnic."

"Oh, that's a good idea. We should have one after this is over!" The girls chatted with each other, and the atmosphere was rather lighthearted. Rusty kept his guard up regardless, his eyes scanning the towering walls of greenery. Their easy victories seemed to have made the trainees overconfident, and even they started laughing and chatting with the summoners they were escorting. A loud snap echoed from deep within the foliage, followed by a rhythmic grinding sound.

It resembled massive metal shears scraping against steel, and the moment the trainee knights heard it, their faces went pale.

"Impossible... it shouldn't be around these parts." It was clear that something had gone wrong. Rusty instantly recalled what the knight captain had mentioned, a creature they were supposed to avoid. Just as the captain had described, a large, bandaged figure emerged through the mist in the distance.

"It's... it's that hedge trimmer?" Astrella said, pointing at it, but the knights around them remained silent. The figure emerging from the labyrinth's fog stood well over three meters tall. It wore tattered, soil-stained robes that completely concealed its body. It was impossible to tell whether it was made of plant matter like the other monsters they had encountered or if it was a creature of flesh. One thing, however, was certain. It was powerful.

"Everyone, to the sides, quick! Don't touch the hedges or the petals. Just let it pass!" One of the trainee knights shouted as they all hurried aside to clear a path for the creature.

"The captain said they're docile unless we damage the hedges, and it isn't reacting to the shouting." Rusty commented as he followed their lead. The old man's information appeared to be accurate. The monster moved slowly, trimming the hedges here and there with its enormous blades. It used four arms, each ending in four crooked fingers that gripped the strange cutting tools. Everything seemed to be going well. The monster eventually drew close to their group without paying them any attention.

As always, however, a problem soon arose.

"Wait... what's that?" Rusty noticed something. While everyone else was focused on the towering creature, he spotted a small orange bird made of flames hovering directly above them. It did not look like much, but the instant he noticed it, it folded its wings and swooped straight down toward him and Gwen…